The Silver Dome
by Devine Justice
Summary: Eric is a prisoner at a vampire experimentation facility, Sookie is his caretaker. Feelings spark and she's determined to save him no matter what.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello lovelies! Something new, something borrowed and something AU. Sookie/ Eric centered. It will get MA after the first few chapters. I hope you enjoy this ride. Characters aren't mine just like playing in other peoples sand box. Reviews are appreciated and help me tune my tempo. They will fuel my advancement of this story.**

I should have read the contract, I skimmed it over, but I should have read the damn thing. What they were asking me to do was monstrous. How do you destroy a monster without becoming one yourself? I knew when they recruited me fresh out of nursing school that I'd be assisting with lab subjects. I was to care for them. See to the daily requirements for them. What I didn't know was that the subjects were vampires. Horribly incapacitated vampires. In my defense the contract was damn vague. The were referred to as animals. I was thinking bunnies, monkeys and the like. I thought I could ease their suffering and show them some compassion, give them love and hope despite their circumstances.

I walked into this nightmare blind. Mariette lead me down this bleak corridor filled with concrete box cells with glass walls facing the staff hallway. In each of the cells a vampire was strapped to a steel and silver alloy table. Thick leather wrapped silver bands held each one in place at the neck, chest, wrists, hips and ankles. Not that the sad looking creatures could have moved if they wanted to. They were extremely emaciated, with sunken eyes that looked at nothing and their skin was an odd yellowish color, like a fading bruise.

I'd met a handful of vampires working at the local dive, but I didn't know any personally. They were far and few between these days. They were highly secretive, and they did a good job of blending in. I could tell the difference though it seemed no one else could outside my family anyways. I'm not an exactly normal human, no one in my family is. We have "gifts" that would scare the Jesus right out of people if they knew. I'd been told since I was small to keep very quiet about my oddities. People in our town just think us a bunch of eccentric crazies, better crazy than under the dome. Anyone out of the norm disappeared and was never heard from again. Taken by force to the Silver Domes.

Vampires had this luminosity to them, like moonlight on the water that I could clearly see but for reasons unknown no one else I knew could. I kept quiet after I pointed out the first. When the Human Securities Squads showed up after my boss reported him I felt terrible. They took all Vampires to the Silver Domes. There where 13 across the United States. They were reservations for Vampires and other oddities to keep them away from society. We'd all been told that they lived their immortal lives there. We were told they were provided for and amongst their own where they lived peacefully and contentedly where they were no threat to humans.

Once a long time ago they walked around freely like the rest of us but that was before the Culling. People, as they tend to be, are a panicky herd of skittish beasts. The longer the vampires were out and being themselves, groups of zealots started banding together. Their rhetoric and propaganda shouted from every social and media outlet that the vamps were out to destroy us eventually came to head and the loudest proponent the Reverend Steve Newlin took charge of the movement. With a seemingly endless stream of money from the church and the hoards of scared people willing to do any number of atrocious things The Light of Day Institute was created. LODI's sole purpose was to eradicate the vampires. As time passed and the endless stream of vamp on human violence was broadcast, more and more humans began to believe all the hype and all that lead to a mass panic, which lead to the Culling.

The scientists working for the anti-vamp group created a hemolytic virus that only affected vampire physiology. The began inoculating everyone who would consent, creating an army of carriers. LODI sent it infected carriers into vampire bars, brothels and any other circuits where vamps were sure to feed from the infected. The virus was devastating. It caused all red blood cells in a vampire system to go into lysis. With all the vampires blood cells rupturing in minutes, death was fast and horrifically painfully. Thousands died in weeks, hundreds of thousands in months. Like all viruses there where some who were immune that survived the months of biological attacks. Those vampires who were immune to the virus went into hiding. They all just disappeared back into the darkness like before the Great Revelation. They still walked among us pretty regularly, but they took great efforts to avoid crowded places and made damn sure they were as human looking as possible. Far as I could tell it was working since me and my family were the only ones who could see the difference in them. We all made sure to not notice that difference, for our and their safety.

I looked in at the pitiful immortals strapped to tables looking half dead and I felt ill. This was not a Silver Dome, it was a research facility in the middle of Shreveport. This was not supposed to be! Yet here I stood tasked with caring for these test subjects. There were unbelievable wounds on some of them. Doctors and nurses conducting procedures on conscious subjects. I wanted to puke. I could feel the pain and despair rolling out of each cell. This was part of the oddity I was born with. From humans I could hear and see their thoughts and with vampires I could feel emotion, and of course see the otherness about them. Sometimes I got flashes from them and those were usually terrifying, like an angry pit of vipers curling around each other, cold and dark.

"Susanna! Are you listening?" Mariette snapped her fingers in front of my face and I snapped out of my thoughts and their pain.

'Yes, sorry I got distracted." I said quickly.

"Are you sure your prepared to be care taker to the damned?" She asked pinning me with an uncertain look.

I looked into the cell next to me at the blond man laying their suffering acutely and nodded. His eye, he currently only had one, rolled to me and held me captivated in his pained gaze. I felt his presence like an icy chill behind my eyes. Words whispered like a prayer slithered beneath my skin and broke chills all over my skin." Save me, take me home." pleaded in the deep places of my mind. A violent shiver ripped through me, it always did when the dead spoke. I'd try to do for them what I planned to do for the poor animals I thought I was going to care for.

"Very well then. You will be responsible for subjects C4 through C11. I'll take you to Lena and she will go over your list of duties, security precautions and nondisclosure policies." With that she spun on her heel and headed back towards the pod control center.

I followed her, haunted by the sad pained gaze of the blond man in C11. I couldn't get the feel of his icy thought out of my head. I rubbed my arms trying to get the chill off me, but it hung on like a barnacle on a boat. There was something about him. Something about the way he watched me. His voice in my head brought on memories of dark rooms and broken bones.

I walked into the pod control center and Mariette led me to a severe looking dark-haired girl and introduced her as Lena. She looked me over like I was trash and indicated a stack of forms.

"In here you will find a list of your duties, safety procedures and the nondisclosures statements you are to follow. See to it you follow all of them to the letter." She said nastily.

I hated her immediately. I hated everyone I'd met here to this point but the pain I'd felt in those damn cells compelled me to keep going. Everything in me told me to walk away from the awful place. This place was clearly run by LODI and they were keeping it quiet. The Vampire Rights Advocates had lobbied for the protection of vampires during the Culling. They'd only been partially successful. From their efforts the Silver Domes were created to keep humans and vampire segregated from each other without ending their kind. I'd do my best to show them some compassion in anyway I could manage. I doubted they'd seen an ounce of it since they'd landed in this wretched place. I had no reason to love any of them but all I could feel was their raw pain and utter despair.

I spent the next two hours going through the never-ending pile of paperwork Lena had heaped into my hands. After carefully reading and filling out paper work I had finally completed the introductory package. I could have got it done much faster, but I'd already learned my lesson about not reading through things all the way hence my presence here working for LODI. I carried the huge pile back to Lena and informed her that I was done. She looked over all the documents and nodded from time to time.

"Alright I will take you on your rounds now. You have 7 vampires which you will look after. They get 15 CC's of rat blood every 8 hours. It's enough to keep them alive but not enough to make them a threat to us." She told me like these weren't living beings. Dead or undead or whatever they were that just sounded wrong to me.

I'd heard that vampires could survive on the blood of animals but that it was like living on bread and water for humans. It would keep you going but just so. I felt a stab in my gut at the idea of anything suffering. Just being kept alive for the sole purpose of finding a way to destroy them. I pushed down the sick feeling inside me, so Lena wouldn't see my distaste. I was determined now more than ever to be the light in the darkness for these poor souls.

She took me past each cell explaining the age, tests and chores I'd be tasked with, with each vampire starting at C11. My god, I had never seen anything alive or dead in such bad shape. All of them were heavily experimented on. Wounds in various stages of healing, some were being experimented on as we stood in front of their cells. They were in varying levels of consciousness. Some muttered to themselves in various languages, some just stared at the walls or ceilings with unseeing eyes and some were completely unconscious, and others were screaming in pain. One more cell to go and I didn't know how I was going to stand through staring at another badly abused vampire while Lena relayed all the pertinent information about them.

When we reached C4, I got an icy chill all over me. It prickled across my skin and through my mind. He could feel me here. I knew it like I knew where I was. He only had one good eye and that eye was half open and looking towards us but not at us.

"This subject is C4 he is the oldest specimen on your section and one of the oldest in the center." Lena said with great pride.

I shivered all over when his frosted gaze lolled over to meet mine. I heard the strange whispers of his pleas in my mind again. A shot of realization slipped into his eyes as he stared at me. Jesus Christ Sheppard of Judea did he know I could feel and hear him. I got the distinct feeling he knew I was different. Shit! Our eyes locked for a moment before I studiously stared into Lena's eyes to see if she noticed what passed between us. She was looking over her notes and clearly hadn't seen it.

"This one will be your priority. He's our most used subject as his age gives him advantages over the other younger damned." She said flatly.

"Very well how often shall I tend him?" I asked as the journal of care indicated that I only see to the subjects every 3 hours.

"On the hour, every hour, even if that means being past due on the others." Lena explained. "He is critical to the doctor's research, he must be in the best condition within limits."

She spun around to me and shoved a stack of orders into my hands and told me to start with C11, the youngest. She was 150 and badly abused according to the charts. Daily dissection of different body systems, UV tests, new viral loads to see if it took and its effects. I felt ill all over again. If this is what they did to the young, my heart bled for C4. I nodded and headed for the cell at the start of my section.

"They will try to sway you Susanna. Don't be fooled by the words of the damned." She warned.

"I won't." I assured her as I keyed in the code on the key pad and walked in to see my first patient. I quickly surveyed the room figuring out where all the supplies were located and pulled the cart from the corner of the room. She looked awful. Her hair was matted with dried blood, she had dried blood all over her gown and skin. Her throat and wrists were raw from where she'd fought against her restraints. I'd hope had I found myself in this position that someone would see after my hygiene and not just my wounds. I filled a basin with hot water and grabbed a wash cloth and soap off the shelf and pulled a clean gown out of the cabinet under the sink and got to work cleaning her up.

I spoke to her softly as I started my work. I washed her hair and careful cleaned her body avoiding her wounds, I'd get to those soon. I told her my name and that I was her new caretaker.

"Don't you worry C11, you've nothing to fear from me. I won't hurt you." I told her softly.

Now that I had her clean and looking much better than when I walked in. I pulled out stitches and bandages to close her weeping wounds. I closed the several small punctures on her thighs and calves and wrapped them in clean bandages. She had deep burns on her right arm. I hunted through my cart and found some salve and non-stick dressings. I hated that I was going to have to scrub away the ruined flesh before I could apply the dressings.

"I'm sorry C11. I know this is going to hurt and I'll be as delicate as possible, but I have to remove the ruined skin, so you'll heal." I explained.

I got down to business and got her all patched up in 40 minutes. Watching her face twist in pain and her muscles jerk while I tended her burns was horrible. How was I going to get through the rest?

"I'm finished. You're all patched up and clean. Now let's get you some blood." I said cheerfully as I could muster.

She half growled, half grunted, and I took that as her agreeing with my plan. I pulled out a syringe and drew up her 15 CC's of blood from the bag in the little refrigerated compartment on my cart. I watched her as her system absorbed the rat blood I'd shot into her vein. After a few minutes she looked the slightest bit less haggard. She still had that sick looking yellow tint to her skin, but it wasn't as pronounced now. I still had to do this with six other patients, it was going to be a long damn night.

I worked hard with all my next five patients, cleaning them up, feeding them and patching up their various wounds as best as I was able. I made sure and took the time to talk to all of them. I wondered when the last time someone had, when the last time was that they heard any kind of gentleness or compassion in the voice of their captors.

I referred to them all as my patients. I refused to call them subjects. Dead or undead they were still alive and deserved respect. I spent no more than 45 minutes with each since I had to make C4 by the hour each hour. In each cell I felt their frail consciousness push against my psyche, as I fed them their ration of rat's blood. I watched as they assimilated the muted sustenance. I felt like I died a little each time. I hoped they could hear me and know that I wasn't there to hurt them as the others did but I got no response other than their deep-seated pain that washed over me. They were essentially comatose by the time I got to each of them. The doctors and scientists did their work during the daytime since the vampires were at their weakest then.

I walked up to the keypad for C4 and expected nothing different. I keyed in the code and stepped into his cell. His entire person shifted pushing against the restraints that held him in place as I walked up to him. He certainly knew I was there. His eye rolled open and he looked at me with drug fogged eyes as I approached. He had six different bags of fluids running into his veins through PICC lines in his arms.

"I'm Susanna. I'm here to look after you." I told him. "I won't hurt you."

I grabbed supplies from my cart and explained what I was going to do to him. "I'm going to clean you up, dress your wounds and feed you."

He grunted in response to what I'd told him, his pleas to be set free by any means battered my mind. I had no idea how the hell he was able to project his thoughts into my mind, even if it wasn't clear like the thoughts from a human mind, the sentiment was clear. No other vampire I'd ever encountered had ever been able do such a thing. It was as unsettling as it was fascinating. I wished there was more I could do for him. Looking at him I could tell that once this man was a warrior. He had scars from when he'd been alive, the kind you saw in historical movies. I also knew he was old and that vampires got stronger and more powerful the older they got. It was absolutely undignified for someone that had lived so long to be reduced to nothing more than a lab rat. However, the thought of ending up in a place like this shut those thoughts down immediately.

I began my survey of his wounds and checked his charts to see what procedures he'd had done. I felt a wave of nausea as I read over his chart. Organ tissue had been removed and brain tissue samples had been removed as well as he'd had liquid silver put into his eye socket to keep it from healing. He was missing several chucks of flesh from the procedures they'd done to get samples from his organs. I closed and dressed those wounds first since they had just been left open and were still seeping blood.

The right side of his skull was uneven and when I looked it as clear that part of his head had been tampered with to get the brain tissue. The skull had been replaced and the skin just taped down with surgical tape. I felt the bile rise in my throat. I stitched his scalp back together and wrapped the large incision.

I got a basin of warm soapy water, a few wash clothes and towels and a fresh gown. I gently washed the blood from his face and neck. I smoothed his hair back from his sweat soaked face. I didn't know vampires could even sweat!

"I wish I knew what to call you besides C4, it seems so wrong to call you by numbers." I spoke soothingly.

I cupped his cheek as I washed the blood from the other side of his face careful to avoid the bandages I'd just wrapped his head in and a single fang ran down. I jumped at the sudden appearance and sound. I felt his pain and sadness creep across my skin.

"Its ok. Don't you worry about it. I know you're hurting." I whispered to him.

I finished cleaning him up and patching his wounds the best I could. I pulled out the prepared rats' blood and slipped it into his arm. I injected the animals' blood into him and watched as it slightly improved his condition, his glow got just slightly brighter and I wondered if they could see it like me.

His one unruined eye looked right at me and I felt that pit of cold viper's rip across my skin. "Save me." He whispered into my mind. I grit my teeth and steeled my mind against the slithery cold that raced down my back

"Release me, save me." Echoed behind my eyes and I felt the sting of the tears that I was fighting back. Pain and sadness tinted with anger rolled of him and filled the room making it hard to breath.

"I'm so sorry C4. I can't." I murmured as tears burnt the backs of my eyes.

He stared at me with his one good eye, utter shock unmistakable in his eye and I felt him push against my mind. It was like the beginning of a head ache, a prickling sensation followed by a dull heavy feeling.

"You hear me?" slithered into my mind.

Shivers screamed through my veins as he focused into me. I shuddered violently as I felt the dark ice of his thoughts in my mind.

I was worried that the surveillance would see my reaction, so I slammed my shields down around my mind and schooled my face into false serenity. If they even thought me able to communicate with him I'd probably be sent to a Silver Dome or worse end up a subject here. I tried carefully released the holds I had on my shields and did my best to send my thought back on the thread I felt from him and outwardly act as if nothing at all had passed between us.

"I can." I thought as hard as I could. When he didn't respond I nodded.

His one good pupil blew to the max and I was worried that he was dying. Following protocol, I injected him with a second vile of rat's blood. The reaction to that second dose of blood was immediate and he looked a lot more there than he'd been.

"Susanna." He stuttered on the mental thread we were connected by.

My eyes shot to his good one. I felt the panic building in my chest, I was really risking a lot poking around in here. I wanted to run, and I pulled away from him immediately.

"Please don't!" He shouted to me mentally. "Just stay with me until you have to go."

I nearly died. My heart was beating in my chest like a trapped bird. My head reeling from the force of his thoughts, I had an instant headache. I grabbed some gauze and began wrapping the still open incisions on his left arm, while trying to shake off the cold ache in my head. I was totally running on auto pilot at this point.

"Breath Susanna." He panted. Holy freaking shit! He'd just said that out loud.

I stared at him as I finished bandaging his arm. What the hell. None of the others could communicate with me, no matter the care I lavished on them.

I began looking over him to see what other wounds needed tending to. His right side was open and looked angry. Blood was slowly trickling from the incision there. I knew vampires didn't need stitches, but that wound was gaping open and I needed to do something with it. I found a surgical super glue in the drawer of the cart and got to work closing it.

"How? "I murmured softly looking him in his eye.

'Old." He spoke in my head.

"Jesus Christ on a hot butter biscuit!" I hissed to him lowly. I swear I saw the corner of his mouth twitch.

I was about to ask him to just whisper to spare me the deep ache his thoughts caused me when four doctors walked into the room with Lena. They began circling C4 and prepping him for a procedure.

"Thank you, Susanna, you've done a sufficient job of patching him up." Lena said. "we'll be taking him back for further testing now."

I felt C4 slam into my mind trying to hold on as they wheeled him from the room. "Save me." He screamed in my head.

The force of his thought damn near dropped me to my knees. I took a deep breath and focused on his one good eye as they wheeled him away. "Be strong C4." I whispered down our fragile mental link. I hoped that this time he heard me.

"Back to your rounds Susanna." Lena hissed at me as she followed the doctors leading C4 away.

I turned back to my other patients all of which were agitated. I rechecked all the wounds I had dressed earlier. All were starting to heal at different rates. I cleaned and redressed all their incisions and fed them their next round of rat blood. I could feel C4 quietly in the back of my head the entire time and he was in horrible pain. I didn't see him again before my shift ended.

I drove home thinking of the feel of him in my head and under my hands. I pulled up to my condo in lower Shreveport still thinking of the blond man from C4. I mindlessly cooked myself a dinner of chicken, potatoes and beans. I sat at my table set for one and ate my meal as a free woman. I felt the strange feeling of injustice as I thought of his one blue eye staring at me.

I drug myself sluggishly to the shower to wash off the horrors of my new job. I should have read that damn contract closer I thought the whole time the hot water and soap slide down my person. I wondered when the last time it he was that he'd had a good meal and a hot shower. I dried and dressed myself in my favorite nightgown. A blue and silver slip that hit my mid-thigh. It was hotter than hell this morning and the fan wasn't helping at all.

As I slipped into a fitful sleep I dreamt of crooked grins, sly hands and one dangerous voice. I dreamt of C4. His silky blond hair, his azure blue eyes with mischievous crinkles at their corners and rough yet gentle hands.

I jolted awake in a hot sweat at 4pm panting and wanting. What I wanted was just out of reach. No, no I was not going to think of him that way. I flipped the covers off and made for the coffee pot. I had 2 hours til I had to be back at the compound, silent Silver Dome as I had begun to call it.

This is how my days and nights had gone for the last two months. Taking care of my vampires at night and dreaming of C4 during the days. I was only thinking about C4 and how he was doing which was insane since he was my patient with whom I'd only spent such a short amount of time. During that short amount of time though I'd spent a lot of time talking to him. He'd also spent a lot of time talking to me too. Mostly in my head which I'd become accustomed to, though it still gave me headaches and sometimes he'd speak to me in a barely audible whisper.

My dream of him today had been more intense than usual and I'd overslept. I ran through my afternoon routine getting myself ready. I slicked my hair back into a smart pony tail and slid into my plain grey scrubs, no time to add any makeup today. I packed a lite lunch since I knew I'd be ill seeing the condition of my patients I hadn't gotten used to the savagery I tried to repair nightly. I grabbed my purse, jacket and keys and headed out to my night at the compound.

I scanned through the 3 check points it took to get to the pod control center and checked in with Lena. She looked pissed and angry just like yesterday, and the day before and the day before that. I swear that woman has a stick permanently lodged in her ass.

"You'll start with C4." She commanded. 'He requires immediate attention."

I nodded to her and took my charts. I felt a thick lump building in my throat. What the hell had they done to him that I had to bypass the younger vampires to go directly to him. I reviewed the previous night shifts notes on his condition and the steps they had taken towards his care and I felt the lump get thicker.

I sped down the halls as casually as possible towards C4. When I arrived at the glass wall to his cell I stopped breathing. He was covered in a sheet bloodied in several places. His head was lolled to the right and his skin was the sallowest I had seen on any vampire in the facility.

I punched in the code that would let me into his cell and nearly died when his hollow eyes rolled around as they tried to focus on me. His eye that had been missing was healed for the most part, it was red and raw looking but all there.

"Please, no more." I heard him whisper as I approached him

Something inside me tore hearing him beg for mercy. Not in all the time I'd been caring for him had I ever heard him plead. I pulled the cart from the corner with all the medical supplies on it. I felt for him with my mind and found the thread between us weak and flickering. I wrapped that fragile line with tenderness as I approached him.

"It's Susanna C4, I won't hurt you. I promise." I said and pushed tenderness toward him.

I watched as he felt me, he shivered and blinked rapidly as he tried to find me. Something was seriously wrong with him tonight. I could feel his confusion and fear, neither of which had I ever felt from him before. He opened his hand and began feeling around for me. I took his hand in mine and caressed the back of his hand with my thumb while I smoothed his hair out of his face.

"God, I have to be careful or they will notice what's happening in here. I don't want to go to the Silver Dome." I told him just shy of a whisper since I knew he could hear stuff the audio recorders couldn't. He squeezed my fingers in his palm and nodded before releasing me.

The fact that he wasn't speaking in my head was worrying me even more. He always had some cheeky comment for me.

"I'm going to help you the best I can. I'm going to see what they've done to you last night." I said with a heavy sadness as I pulled back the sheet to see the damage they'd done to him.

I sucked in a sharp breath. I was absolutely horrified at what I saw. Four large incisions on his chest and abdomen. Several small incisions on the left side of his neck and shoulder. And bruises everywhere. They'd drained him. His chart said they'd taken 4 pints of blood from him. My heart bled for this vampire, this man. No one should be subjected to such poor treatment.

'Eric." He rasped, his voice thready and raw. I must have looked confused because a few seconds later I felt him weakly push into my mind "I'm Eric." He whispered into my mind.

I smiled. I'd ask him a few times for his name so I could call him something other than C4 but he'd declined and I'd stopped asking. He trusted me. I knew that's what it meant for him to give me his name. I looked into his healing eyes and stroked the hair back from his sweat soaked face.

"Alright Eric. Let's see what we can do to get you feeling better." I whispered into his ear as I cleaned the blood from his neck and shoulder. I knew he needed blood and a lot more than what they allotted the patients here. He received much less than the other vampires under my care. Only 7 CC's every 8 hours.

"Am I hurting you?" I asked quietly. The rooms were recorded, and video monitored, always, so I had to be discreet. I couldn't have them thinking I was a sympathizer. The members of the VRA were blacklisted from damn near everything in society.

He shook his head slightly. "Always gentlest treatment, I receive here." He said quietly.

I bit my lip and felt my heart sink. I felt so much sadness at what he'd said. I was pulling and clipping his wounds trying to close them and stem the blood leaking from his wounds and this was the kindest treatment he'd been shown here.

I had no doubt that him at full strength was a terrifying thing to behold but he had a gentleness about him that was heartbreaking. There was good in this Vampire. I was certain anyone including myself was insane even thinking such a thing, but I knew. I felt it wash over me when he got inside my head. Under the cold slithery feel of a vampire mind was something more.

"Well Eric I've done all I can. It's time for your blood." I told him as I prepped the dose of blood he was to get. I added a few extra CC's of human blood that I'd squirreled away that would hopefully help him heal a little more.

I injected the blood into his vein and watched as his system metabolized it. His skin looked slightly less yellow. The corner of his mouth quirked up into a smile.

"Thank you for the extras Susanna." He spoke in my head. When he spoke aloud it was stinted and barely understandable but in my head the words were much clearer.

"You glow different when you're doing better." I told him softly.

His eyes shot to mine and I could see the questions burning there. He'd trusted me with his name, so I felt it only fair that I trusted him with a little secret of my own.

"Sookie." He breathed.

I nearly swallowed my tongue. No one called me that except my family. How the hell did he know my nickname?

I pulled the thin blanket the facility provided to its patients over him as my mind screamed danger! I squeezed his hand as his eyes started to flutter closed.

"See you in an hour."

I moved through my next five patients binding broken bones, sealing open wounds and administering their doses of blood. All comatose as usual.

When I got to my last patient she was staring at the ceiling. A muscle in her cheek twitching furiously.

"Well you are certainly looking a mess tonight." I told her as I began dressing her wounds.

Her eyes locked on to mine and glared at me. I injected her dose of blood into the one good vein I could find. I could see the change as her body used the blood to repair the damages on her person. I dampened a rag and started cleaning her up. I washed and brushed out her matted hair as carefully as possible.

"There you go, looking much better." I told her silent staring form.

"Tha…nk you." She hissed her lip curling up to reveal the tips of fangs.

I was shocked out of my mind! She was the youngest on my circuit and I couldn't believe she was conscious. Two months and not a word.

"Uh, you're welcome." I said

"For… him." She lifted her head and groaned.

It was apparent that she was struggling to speak to me. I was confused. What the hell? Was she delirious?

Her eyes struggled to focus in my direction. "Eric." She gasped.

I could tell that every word she uttered was painful. She was thanking me for Eric? How'd she even know that I knew Eric?

"Maker." She hissed out before falling back onto her slab exhausted.

Holy freaking hell! This woman was Eric's childe. I knew a few limited facts about vampires. I knew that vampires linked by blood could communicate in ways we couldn't understand. I needed to know more about vampires. I needed first, second or third hand knowledge. I knew we'd all been kept in the dark about vampires and anything about them. How long had it been since we were all aware of them? How long had these atrocities been going on?

"You're welcome. I'll do my best to see after him." I told her reassuringly.

Her fangs retracted, and she bobbed her head in understanding before she fell back into the comatose state all my patients were in except Eric.

I made the rest of my rounds including Eric. He was completely out for the rest of my shift but considering his state I wasn't terribly shocked. Even thought his eyes were closed and unresponsive I could feel him feel me each time I entered his cell.

I was sitting in the pod control center charting all my efforts for the night when I saw Lena approach.

"Susanna, I need to speak with you." She said in an annoyed tone.

"Of course, what can I help you with? I asked.

She looked at me with a measured stare. I felt uncomfortable as she evaluated me.

"You've spoken often with C4 recently. He seems to be willing to communicate with you. He speaks to no other here. Has he told you anything we should know about?" Her gaze cut into me.

"No, nothing. I answered. "He only mentioned that I had given him the gentlest treatment since he's been here." I told her truthfully. "and his name." I wanted to slap myself for letting that little bit of information go.

"Interesting." She muttered as she mulled over the information I'd given her. "What is his name?

I was feeling suddenly like Judas. At the risk of them knowing other wise and not wanting to betray him further "Eryn." I told her as calmly as possible.

"Should he relay anything else to you I'll expect to be informed immediately."

"Of course, Lena." I responded. I'd already decided that she could go to hell. I'd give her nothing. I felt unexpectedly protective of Eric.

"Thank you for giving us his name. We didn't know before now." She said gleefully a wicked smile curling her lips. "5 years of silence and now you get the answers we've tried to bleed from him."

I felt sick, I'd almost betrayed a secret trust. Poor Eric he'd been so strong, and I'd nearly sold him out.

I left the dome angry and sad. I had to educate myself before I did any irreparable damage to my patients, especially Eric. 5 years! He'd been here 5 freaking years.

When I got home that morning I pulled out my laptop and Googled everything I could find on vampires. I searched shit that would probably land me on some secret government list, but I didn't care. I needed to know who I was working with. The ins and outs of their physiology, their capabilities, relationships with their and our kind and all the research humankind had on them.

What I really needed was to talk to a free vampire. No one would give me better intel. I knew where to get it. I just had to pull up my big girl panties and go after it.


	2. Chapter 2

I strolled into Merlottes just after sunset. I knew vampire came here rather frequently. It was a back-water bar that no one policed. It wasn't a place known for their kind to haunt so they felt safe here. It wasn't an every night occurrence but when I'd worked here during college I'd seen my fair share of them. Nursing a drink to seem like the rest of the humans there. I had no idea of this little trip of mine would be fruitful or not, but I had to try. I needed to talk to a free vampire. I needed information and shockingly enough the internet had very little that was remotely helpful.

I'd spent my whole first day off hunting for anything I could find on vampire. Since the Culling the information available was limited. It was weird how all of it was tainted by the groups who'd brought about the Culling to begin with. My Gran had told me that at one time they were out and that everyone had vast knowledge about them. I wished that she was still alive, but I'd lost her 2 years ago to an illness no one could figure out.

It was what had prompted me to go to nursing school. I wanted to help people, wanted to at least provide comfort to the suffering in their last days. I would have become a doctor, but my finances wouldn't provide for that.

I grabbed an open stool at the bar and ordered a drink from the current bar tender. Sam noticed me and bobbed his head in my direction, he was currently in a heated conversation with some of his patrons. I scanned the room looking for that tell-tale glow but all I found where a handful of humans and some of the other oddities I'd encountered before. I never asked any of them about the difference I saw in them, not after I brought the Human Security Squad down on that poor vampire.

It was early, and I'd decided to remain hopeful that one of them would come in soon. It was a Saturday night, so surely, if they were like humans anyhow, that looked to the weekend for fun among a vast mass of anonymous faces.

"Hey Cher! Didn't expect to see you here tonight." Sam drawled as he slid into the stool next to mine.

I hadn't been into Merlottes often since I landed the job at the secret dome. VPO pharmaceuticals was a major employer here in Louisiana. No longer surprising to me now that I knew what they really were, a shadow company for the LODI crazies.

"Hey Sam. It's good to see ya. Night off from work and I felt like some company." I told him cheerfully.

He didn't need to know that I was here on a mission and that I had a purse full of vials of human blood.

"Well I'm glad you came by. You brought a light into this back water." He gave me a wink.

He called the bar tender over and informed him that my drinks were on the house. I thanked him after telling him that wasn't necessary. My former coworkers filtered in and out of the area sharing stories and asking after my life and job. I answered them all with polite enthusiasm.

It was about 10:30 when I noticed a group of young vampires enter the bar and grabbed a table near the pool table. I could tell that they were younger by the intensity of their glow. I'd figured this out working with the vampires of various ages at the dome. I'd never seen this group before, so they wouldn't recognize me as having worked here. I wasn't certain if this would help or hurt my chances of getting information from them.

I approached their table and sat down in an empty chair. I was met with three cold stares.

"Hi. How y'all doing?" I chirped.

"We're not looking for any company sweetheart." A short, dark skinned vampire with close shaved hair and amber eyes answered for the group.

"Me either, sweetheart. I answered. "just information."

"Not from around here, can't help." He replied flatly.

Well this was not going well at all. How was I going to get what I needed without exposing any of them?

"I'm from here, not the kind of information I am looking for." I said staring him right in his eyes. I lowered my voice to just above a whisper since I knew they'd hear me over all the noise in the bar and no one else would.

"I need information about your kind." I said trying not to sound afraid even though I most definitely was. They could kill me in a flash and there would be nothing anyone could do about it.

Their attention was focused on me in a way that made me want to run right out of the bar and not stop. Eyes narrowed down to slits and their posture was rigid the way a cat was right before it pounced.

"I have no idea what you're talking about lady." He said as he made a gesture and they all rose together and walked out of the bar fast as possible without drawing attention to themselves.

Shit! Shit, shit, shit! I had just blown my opportunity to find out anything useful to help Eric and the others in the dome. I walked back to the bar feeling like an idiot and realizing this was going to be more difficult than I had imagined it when I formed this crazy plan.

What did I expect that they would react like to a strange lady they don't know but who is clearly aware of what they and could turn them in at any second. Sure, sit right on down and let me tell you all our secrets. I blew out an exasperated breath and ordered another drink. I had to come up with a better plan in the event I got lucky and another vampire showed up tonight.

I was on my third gin and tonic when I felt the atmosphere shift. It was just after midnight when he walked in and sat quietly at a booth at the back of the bar. I casually turned in my seat to find the source. He was glowing in the way I had come to know a vampire did.

He was over six foot with dark hair falling just past his shoulders and intense but wary grey eyes. He scanned over all the patrons before calling for a waitress. He ordered a Red Velvet and leaned back into the seat. I was amused at his choice, but it made sense. Most vampire I had encountered here always had flasks of human blood on them and a Red Velvet was the closest shot I'd ever seen to human blood.

Tara was his waitress and she was clearly impressed with his looks, but she'd die if she knew he was a vamp. I loved her, and she was my closest friend, but she was a huge bigot when it came to vampires.

"Hey Sook!" She said as she slid behind the bar to put in her orders for her tables.

"Hey Tara. How's tonight treating you?" I asked knowing full well she was having a killer night and was currently lining up a man to spend time with later.

"Not bad, could be worse. I see you noticed that tall drink of water that just sat in my section." She answered in a conspiratorial tone.

I laughed as she filled her tray with all the drinks the bar tender had lined up for her.

"Yes, I noticed." I giggled.

I was going to go talk to the man, he had the answers I needed. I was fine with letting her think I was interested in him for reasons beyond the one I was here for.

"Go get him! I won't judge." She said with a smirk as she headed out to deliver her drinks.

Talk, dark and dangerous had noticed me, notice him. Well this is it. Time to pull up them big girl panties. I was getting answers. He had them and I was walking into the lions' den to get them. I could tell he was older, much older than the vampires I'd struck out here earlier. His luminosity was nearly as bright as Eric's but not quite. I'd put him at between 700 to 800 as a good estimate.

I turned to the bartender and order two Red Velvets and an empty shot glass. He smiled at me realizing what I was about to do.

"Get em' girl." He said as he passed my order over the bar. "Hope you have better luck this time.' He sniped.

I winked at him as I collected the tools of my salvation or destruction, it remained to be seen.

Shots in hand and huge dose of courage I made my way across the now very crowded bar towards him. I nearly changed my mind when his eyes found mine. I steeled my nerves and sank my eyes into his intense stare. Their glamour didn't work on me. I found that terminology on the internet. They could use mind control to make you do whatever they wanted. Looking into their eyes was a big no, no but my little quirk prevented that.

I realized what that weird pushing headache sensation was after reading an article on how the devil could access your mind. It was crazy how much I hadn't known before now. I wish my Gran would have been more direct in her teachings on guarding our family secret. She was alive when they were out and clearly knowing a lot about them I realized when I started digging.

He watched me in a casual yet focused way as I approached his table. I could feel him push against my mind trying to send stay away vibes. I was internally amused to watch the look of shock and annoyance as his glamour didn't take.

"Hey there." I said as I plopped down into his booth.

"Hello." He answered cautiously

I gave him my best smile as I dropped the shots onto the table and palmed the empty shot glass into my lap. I discreetly opened my purse and poured a vial of human blood into the glass I held under the table. His pupils dilated instantly just like my patients did when it was time to feed them.

I shot my first Red Velvet and then slid the empty glass in front of him claiming his undrunk shot for my own, while depositing the shot of human blood in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at me as I did so.

"People will notice if you don't actually drink anything." I whispered as I nodded to the blood I'd slid in front of him.

"What?" He said incredulously.

"Let's do a shot!" I answered louder than necessary.

No, less than 10 people raised a cup to us. I winked at him and raised the second Red Velvet. He cautiously raised the shot of blood and clinked his glass to mine. I knocked my glass on the table in customary fashion and he did the same as we both shot the contents of our glasses.

We both shuddered as the contents hit our system. He looked at me with curious eyes.

"You're new here. Just trying to make a friend." I told him with a smile.

I'd seen him here a few times before and after working here. I needed him to trust me and I needed the answers I was certain he had.

"You Know?' He asked barely above a whisper.

"I do. It's ok I promise." I answered quickly wanting to reassure him before he booked it out of here like the other three had.

He looked at me, appraising me and trying to decide what to do next. I felt that gross feeling of glamour push against my mind.

"Won't work on me. I'm different." I told him plainly.

"What the fuck?" He hissed.

"You have nothing to worry from me. I'm not quite normal myself." I said with a flirty wink.

It was so exciting to be around someone who was different. Someone that was sort of like me. I mean I was alive, and he was clearly dead but still we were both on that list of things that disappeared. He knew things I couldn't possibly find anywhere else and he would be noticed if he didn't start drinking and having fun. Also, my chance of getting him out of here without raising suspicion would escalate exponentially unless I made him look like the rest of us.

I slid an empty shot glass off the table and slipped off my seat. I smiled at him as I slithered off my side of the booth and slid in next to him. His eyes widened at my boldness, but he said nothing. I waved to Tara and ordered another round.

"So pretty, what's your name?" I asked exaggeratedly as my hip bumped his.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he eyed me.

I looked at him. Making sure I stared him right in his eyes as I rested my hand on his cold one.

"Making you one of us." I said with a pointed look.

The looked that crossed his face was as hilarious as it was surprised.

"My name is Aurelius." He answered.

"Well damn that's just a mouthful. I'll just call you Ari." I said smirking at him. I knew every table in ear shot was listening. He needed to just be a guy, or I'd never get him out of here alive.

"As you like." He whispered in my ear. It reminded me of the way Eric talked to me and prickles broke over my skin.

"I'm Susanna. I told him.

I filled the empty shot glass I had under the table with another vial of blood as Tara delivered the shots I had ordered. I smiled at her and she looked at me with a lascivious look as she took in to two of us sitting so close together.

I was damned determined to get info from Ari and I was going to feed him and get drunk at the same time, so my courage didn't faulter under the pressure of what I was carrying on my mind. I had to find a way to help Eric. It was my singular objective. Over the last few months of caring for him and enjoying our playful banter I had become perversely attached to him.

Everything in me screamed that this was a bad idea, but I had to do something. It was just flat out wrong what was happening at VPO. That hell hole was a silver dome, and no one knew what was happening right under all our noses. I still had a bone to pick with my brother because I knew he was working for subsidy of VPO. I prayed he wasn't a consenting part of this vile organization.

"They younglings you spoke to earlier informed me that a pretty little blond who smelled like all things good was here asking questions." He said. "They are my underlings, the answer to me. All vampire in this are do.

My jaw dropped. Wow, I'd hit the jackpot, or I'd signed my own death warrant.

"You smell like vampire. Care to explain that?" Ari asked.

I handed him the shot I'd poured for him under the table and grabbed my own. He tipped his glass into mine and we both shot them back.

"I do?" I asked surprised.

"Yes. Our blood specifically." He scrutinized my reaction to his statement.

I was dumbstruck. How the heck did I smell like vampire blood? I'd showered after work. Then it hit me I was wearing the tennis shoes I wore to work. At some point some of my patients' blood must have gotten on the shoes. I was going to wear heels but had changed my mind and went with the trainers in case I needed to run. I steeled my resolve and smiled at him.

"Yep. I'll explain all of it and more. It's probably on my shoes. I encounter a lot of blood at work. I need answers Ari. From someone like you. It's the whole reason I'm here risking my neck, literally." I said. "For now, we are going to be two people having a real good time."

He nodded his head and smiled at me. He knew I knew things and he wanted answers, but I got that he appreciated what I was doing. It was clear he was willing to exchange information for the favor.

"Dance with me?' He asked as a popular dance song started blaring out of the speakers at Merlottes and people were flooding the not dance floor. The song couldn't have been more appropriate if I'd chosen it myself. Play with Fire by Sam Tinnesz, I was certainly playing with fire here.

I slid out of our booth and he followed offering his hand. I took it and we moved into the crowd. The music throbbed into the dark atmosphere and we moved against each other to the rhythm.

"Where is Eric?" He whispered into my ear.

I reared back, and he dipped me as his lithe form molded into mine. Holy shit. He knew I knew Eric. His eyes pinned me as he pulled me back up into him.

"I recognize the smell of the blood." He added.

I thought about it. What if he did, but what if he wasn't a friend. What if I would be doing more harm than good by admitting I knew him.

"Susanna. I've known him a long time and I know the scent of his blood well. I know you've been near him. I and several others have been searching for him for a long time and this is the first sign I've had that he is still alive."

"Nowhere good." I said as I looked at him, his eyes serious. "I need help Ari. It's why I'm here."

He nodded letting me know he understood what I meant. We danced for two more songs. Wrapped around each other like two strangers who planned a fun evening once we left. The seriousness of the situation only known to the two of us.

After the song ended he took my hand and led me to the bar. The bartender was no where to be seen. We sat there in tense silence for five minutes before Sam walked up to us.

"We'll need out tabs." Ari told Sam.

Sam glared at him with malice in his eyes. I knew Sam was different, but I never asked. I could see and hear and feel the other all over him. I knew what it was to need to keep secrets, so I let him have it. I wasn't going to disclose my other, so no ill will. Sam worked on the computer for a moment and produced our bills. Ari grabbed both and handed his credit card to Sam.

"Soo…" He stared." Susanna, you good Cher?" He asked.

Well that's unusual I thought. Why'd he starts to call me Sookie and then stop. Unless, he knew. He knew Ari was different. I could se it in the tension in his posture and the angry red vibe I was getting from his mind.

"Yea, I'm great!" I answered enthusiastically putting my arm around Ari's waist.

Ari picked up on the tension and my intention and curled his arm around me possessively and dropped a kiss on top of my head.

"We're fine. Just the bill please." He said staring Sam right in the eye.

I could see Sam's body seize up at the gesture. I knew things were about to get heated and needed to diffuse this situation now.

"Ari's great Sam. I'm glad we met tonight. He's going to drive me home. No worries." I told him firmly and with happiness infused in my voice. Answers, he has the answers. Please for god sakes don't make a scene Sam. I could see Sam bristle at my words. Well shit.

"Can I talk to you for a minute Cher?" Sam asked as he passed the bill over the bar to Ari.

I could feel the growl start in Ari's chest at Sam's request. Clearly Ari knew Sam was different as well. I rested my hand tenderly on his forearm. I looked at him solidly as I answered Sam.

"Sure. I'm just going to grab my bag. I'll meet you out back." I told him.

Ari squeezed my arm before releasing me. I understood he wasn't happy and would be ready to intervene at a moments notice. It was clear to me that this Vampire was concerned for me, himself and Eric. I needed to get Sam off my case ASAP.

I grabbed my purse from our booth and headed out the back of Merlottes to the parking lot by Sam's trailer. He was waiting for me more agitated than I'd even seen him.

"You cannot leave with him!" He said as soon as I was out the door.

"Well Hi to you too." I said sarcastically.

"Sookie I mean it. He's no good for you."

I shot him a nasty glare as I advanced on him.

"Do you know him? Furthermore, who are you to tell me who I can and cannot spend my time with Sam Merlotte?" I shot back.

He took a step back at my sudden protest. I'd always been a soft-spoken girl the whole time I worked here but by god I was on a mission and I was a grown woman and didn't need my jealous over protective ex-boss trying to stand in my way.

"No, I don't know him. What I do know is trouble, and he's it Sook." He answered glaring at me in a way I'd never seen from him before.

Oh my god. That confirmed what I'd suspected earlier. He knew! He knew Ari was different. He wasn't going to say so, but he knew! I knew Sam was different, but I didn't know he could see the other on other people. Did he know I was different? My god was he like me and my family? I had so many questions, but I had to stay focused on the mission. Ari. Ari had answers and he knew Eric.

"Listen to me Sam Merlotte. I like him, and I trust him. He's been nothing but good to me all night. He's taking me home and you need to accept that. Unless you have something more to tell me other than he's trouble. I'm leaving now." I spat at him fully fed up with all this nonsense.

I stared him for a full minute before I spun on my heel to leave. His hand shot out and grabbed my arm in a grip that made me wince in pain.

"The hell are you doing Sam." I shouted my arm burning under his grip.

He didn't have time to utter a word before Ari appeared out of nothing and snatched his hand off my arm and pulled me into his side.

"The lady said that she was leaving. Back off." He seethed menacingly.

I was completely freaking out. What the hell was wrong with Sam? I'd never seen him like this or had him treat me roughly. I felt tears burn my eyes, but I'd be damned if they fell. He knew. Oh my god he knew so much, and he'd hid it from me. Did he know about me? How could he call the authorities on that poor vampire I'd pointed out if he was different like us? I was a mess with my thoughts.

"Are you ok?' Ari asked turning me towards him and looking over my arm.

"Yea, I'm fine. Can you take me home now?' I ask quietly.

He nodded satisfied with his inspection and my answer and extended his hand. I took it and started following him as he led me from the lot.

"Bye Sam." I said as I turned towards the street. He said nothing only watched me go with anger all over his face.

"I didn't come here in a car Susanna or is it Sookie?" He asked as we reached the customer parking lot.

"I have my car here, it's the blue one by the big oak. As for my name the answer is both. My birth name is Susanna and that's what I go by to everyone except close family and friends." I explained.

"So, is the Shifter family or friend?" he said raising ad eyebrow.

"The what? What the hell is a shifter? Are you talking about Sam?" I was stunned. A shifter, like from fiction, like werewolves?

"You didn't know? Yes, I am referring to Sam." He answered.

Holy shit I knew he was different, but I had no idea he was something from fantasy books. I mean me, and my family weren't normal either but wow, I had a lot to learn. The other oddities that they hauled off to the Silver Domes were never identified. We were just told they were minions of vampires.

"I knew he was different. I can see it on him like I can see it on you. It's not the same though. Y'all glow and he just feels different from regular humans." I told him honestly.

He opened the door to my car and I dropped into the passenger's seat. He zipped around the car and was sitting beside me in the driver's seat before I could blink. Holy F! I contained my shock and told him where we were headed.

"So, what exactly are you Susanna?" He inquired as he pulled out of the lot.

"What?!" I squeaked in surprise.

"You are immune to our glamour, you can see the glow, you smell better than any human I have ever been near in my life and its been a long one. You are not human, at least not all human." He supplied.

"Other's can't see y'all glow? Like other oddities I mean."

He looked at me incredulously. It was clear he was surprised I didn't know all of this. I was really wishing my Gran was still alive. I knew she'd had secrets that she was careful to keep from me. I was a little angry too that she had. I felt like these are things I should have been made aware of.

"No. Only other vampires can see the glow as far as I am aware. It is how we know who our elders are and where we find ourselves in the pecking order among our own kind. The fact that you can, is surprising. I have also never met another species that is immune to glamour. You really didn't know you were more than just human?"

It was obvious he was skeptical but very curious. This was going to work out in my favor I felt. It also didn't hurt that I was the only person who knew where Eric was and was willing to help. I wondered how he was doing. I wondered if he thought about me when I was off work and missed my company like I did his. I hoped that Myla took good care off him while I was gone. I doubted, it she was a die-hard LODI follower.

"Nope. I didn't know and I'm not sure that I am more than human. I just know that me and my family all came with extras as my Gran used to put it. I am truly fascinated to learn that only other vampire can see the glow. I can tell about how old y'all are by the intensity of the glow on you. I know the vampires from earlier were between 50 and 150. I would estimate based on your glow that you're 7 or 8 hundred. Am I close?" I asked.

Shock colored his feature before he nodded.

"Look Ari, I need to know as much about vampires as you can tell me. I've been taking care of Eric for just over two months and he is in a real bad way. Barely kept alive and ruthlessly experimented on. I want to help him in anyway I can manage." I told him, holding back the tears that wanted to fall at the thought of Eric.

We pulled up to my building and Ari parked a block down. He followed me quietly deep in thought as we made our way to my unit. I dug my keys out of my bag and opened the door. I strolled in and dropped my purse on the counter as I went to grab a water from the fridge. I looked up and Ari was standing in the door way still. "What are you doing out there still? You change your mind?" I asked afraid he would leave.

"No. Here's your first lesson Susanna. A vampire cannot enter a human home with out a formal invitation and that invite can be taken back at any time and we will be forced out and no longer be able to enter. Always be mindful who you invite in. Sometimes a threshold is the only thing that will keep you safe from my kind." He explained.

Ari spent the next three hours detailing everything he could think of that could possibly be important for me to know about vampires. He patiently answered all my questions. It was shocking how much we didn't know about them anymore. LODI had put in a lot of time and effort to remove as much knowledge as they could. This lack of knowledge was making it easier for them to manipulate the public opinion of the vampires. Ari told me that a large amount of what he'd told me wasn't knowledge that had ever been made public for their own safety.

I told him everything I could think of about what was being done in the facility and gave him descriptions of the seven vampires I cared for. He was certain he knew four of them. I told him all I knew about the wing I worked on and that there were four more wings that I hadn't been on and that I had no idea what happened there of if there were vampires kept in other parts of the facility.

I told him all the unique details of the way Eric and I communicated. I even went so far as to share a great many things about my abilities. It seemed only fair since he had told me a damning amount of information about his kind and himself for that matter. He sat utterly still as he digested everything I had just told him. Light came back to his eyes and he raked a hand through his dark hair and stood up from the couch.

"I have to tell you that its kinda creepy when you get all still like that. Downtime, right?" I asked, and he smirked at me then nodded.

"I have to go now. The sun will rise soon, and I must be back in my secure resting place. I will see you again Susanna. I need as much information as you can get me about that facility. If we can we will rescue our brothers and sisters from that hell hole." He told me.

I knew that I was willing to do anything I could to help Eric, but I'd have to be damn careful going about getting intel for Ari. I had no desire to end up locked away with all the other supernaturals under the Silver Domes. I planned to tell Eric what I had done, and I hoped he believed me.

"Will he believe me when I tell him we've met and spoken? Is there a way to prove it to him?" I asked. I need Eric to understand that I was trying to help him not hurt him. I knew he trusted me but if I suddenly knew so much I didn't want him to think I was a spy undercover for LODI.

"The bra you're wearing, will you be wearing it to work?" He said.

What the heck kind of question was that? Did he really think I was willing to discuss my underthings with him? I fixed him with a look and he laughed.

"I'm not making a pass at you Susanna. I only meant to leave a drop of my blood on the garment. Eric will recognize the scent. He'll know you speak the truth then. If he still questions, then just tell him Those who wish to sing always find a song. He'll know what it means." He said laughing.

He nicked his finger on one of his fangs and when a good-sized droplet of blood formed he pushed my shirt off my shoulder and pressed the blood onto my bra strap. With that he bid me good night and flashed out of my apartment before I had a chance to say anything.

I had a million things swirling around in my mind. All the new information Ari had given me, was mind boggling. I got ready for bed and crawled under my covers. I had to be at work tonight and I need to be rested so I had my wits about me as I started helping Ari, so he could help free Eric and the others. I knew so much more now that I could do for the vampires in the secret dome. I was excited to bring them some relief from their torment. I was a rebel now. Not a card carrying VRA member kind of rebel, but the quiet kind who was going to make a real difference.

I drifted off thinking of azure eyes, golden hair and crooked smiles.

I woke up to the sound of my cell ringing. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes still groggy. What time was it? The ringing stopped but started right up again just a second later. I checked the caller ID and seen it was my job calling. What time was it? Did I over sleep. I glanced at my alarm clock and seen it was only 2:43pm. What the heck was going on?

"Hello. This is Susanna." I answered trying to sound more awake than I was.

"Susanna. We need you to come immediately. There has been an incident at the facility." Came Lena's pinched voice.

"An incident?" I said as dread started building in my gut.

"That's what I said didn't I." She snipped. "A tech forgot to wear their anti-glamour contacts and a subject glamoured him to release him. The tech was killed immediately and just after that the anti-vampire escape protocols were activated and the subject as well."

There was a long pause as I was speechless and sick with worry.

"How long until you can be here?" Lena asked impatiently.

"I'll be there in thirty minutes." I answered as I disconnected the call. I rapidly pulled on my scrubs and shoes. I snagged my jacket, keys and purse off the counter and ran down the block to my car.

I was wide awake now. Oh god, not Eric. Please don't have let it be Eric.


	3. Chapter 3

I pulled into the VPO employee parking lot and the dread that had been building in my gut on the drive to work intensified by a thousand when I took in the shit show that was waiting. There were no less than ten Human Security Squad vehicles parked in and around the employee entrance. They were all in swat gear and frisking and eye checking every employee that entered the facility. The entire day crew was corralled in the far corner of the lot and what looked like men in black were gathered outside a tent. What ever happened during the day shift had been unprecedented. I had never worn the anti-glamour contacts since I can't be glamoured. I dug around my purse to find the set I'd been issued. I always carried them just in case it ever became an issue where they checked for them, they'd never checked anyone before tonight. I took several deep breaths to steady myself as I opened the lens container and tried to still my shaking hands to get them in.

I couldn't stop thinking about Eric. I didn't know what I'd do if it was him that had been ended. I felt bile rise in my throat and fought it back with everything in me. I had to get in there as soon as possible to see what had happened. I truly hoped that it was none of my vampires. I had formed fragile bonds with all of them, they mattered to me, even if they mattered to no one else. Now that I knew who several of them were before they were incarcerated here it really hurt me, they had makers and friends and progeny on the outside that wanted them back. I care for all of them but now I felt like I knew them, and I was going to do whatever it took to get them out of here.

I gabbed my purse and ID and stepped out of my car to head to the Que of nightshift employees that were being screened. I remembered what Ari had said about taking note of everything. I counted the cameras in the parking lot and their locations as I stood in line. There was a camera positioned on every other row of lot lights, tripod cameras mounted on the corners of the building that scanned the lot and the grass margins to the left and right of the main entrance and one over the entry door to record each employee entering and exiting.

"Step forward." A gruff voice said and pulled me from my cataloging.

I stepped forward and was instructed to raise my arms and spread my legs for a wanding and pat down. A man the size of a refrigerator stepped up to me and ran a metal detecting wand all over my person, searched my bag and patted me down. He was none to gentle about it either.

"Eyes up." He barked.

I looked up and they scanned my eyes with a florescent green light that made the anti-glamour contacts glow like a cat's eye. He checked my ID and asked me what wing I was assigned to.

"C wing." I answered.

"C wing is on lock down." He informed me with authority. "The night crew for your wing is assembling on D wing. Move forward and join your group for briefing." He ordered.

Shit! That could only mean that the incident had occurred on my wing. I broke out in a cold sweat. I really wanted answers as to what was going on. I was a wreck thinking Eric was gone. He couldn't be. I cannot accept that, will not. It's nuts just how much he'd come to mean to me in the few months I'd known him. I had allowed my heart to put itself at risk of getting hurt. I cannot believe I'd allow myself this attachment to him, I'd let this go way too far. I can't be one-sided, not after the things he's shared with me, the banter we quietly exchanged when I cared for him. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he just sees me as a means to an end. He might kill me on the spot, no matter how kind I'd been to him. Just for being involved with these damn LODI bastards.

I really needed to stop thinking about worst case scenarios. We'd had a bond, a trust, and I had to believe that he'd know my heart too. That I was not ok with the things happening here. That I only stayed in order to give them what kindness and dignity I could manage for them. So, instead I turned my mind to counting my steps between the employee entrance and the first security check point. 87 steps from the door to the first guard station. I noted that there were 2 guards stationed there and 9 cameras in this section of hallway. I'd never paid attention, but this place was a damn fortress! I scanned my ID and handprint and made my way the next 43 steps to central control.

From here five hallways branched off into the different wings of the facility. It was a star shaped building central control being the main hub. There was a main desk with 5 guards who each monitored the cameras for the wing that they were assigned to. I had never been on any of the other wings before, so despite my terrible worry it was advantageous that I was getting a look at another wing. I followed the people I worked with into the D wing hallway and the second checkpoint, another 43 steps. The entry to each hall had a second check point that verified where you were supposed to be. It was clear you weren't getting into anything you weren't supposed to. How I'd never noticed this before I couldn't say. I had always arrived for my shift, scanned into my wing, and worked until it was time to leave. There was a third checkpoint, another 43 steps, right before you reached the control hub on your wing. D wing was set up exactly like my wing was. It stood to reason that all the other wings were the same. Ari would need to know all the security protocols for each section to enact any plans we made.

Once on D wing my heart sank. My eyes nearly shot out of my head at seeing more glass walled cells full of vampires. My god where the wings all full of vampire? There where 28 cells on my wing and 28 on D wing. Each cell containing a vampire of varying age. Each wing had 4 subject associates which is what I was. We each had 7 vampires that we were to look after, to heal from the wretched hell the researchers put them through. My god there could be 140 vampire captives here.

We all gathered in the conference room at the end of the hall just before the elevator that led to the labs were to doctors and techs performed most of the tests on the vampires. I was still counting steps, 125 steps from the control hub to the conference room and making note of cameras, one globe camera in the ceiling every 12 feet and 29 keypads, one for each cell and one for the elevators that led to the labs. I had a little note book in my purse where I was keeping notes oh so carefully, so that it looked like my household expenses if they search our belongings.

I slid into a seat at the back of the conference room where I'd be able to see everything going on and make notes without gaining to notice of anyone who mattered.

Lena stormed into the room and called for our attention. The room feel silent instantly as we were all very curious to know what had happened. I'm pretty sure I was the only one there concerned for the vampires and their well-being.

"Tonight, there was an incident on our wing. Jeff forgot to put his contact lenses in and fell victim to the glamour of the damned. He was killed the moment he released C5. Fortunately, the security measures we have in place destroyed the vampire immediately after. The UV lights and silver mist downed him, and our security force went in and staked him to finish the job. The cleaning crews are disposing of the remains currently and once they clear the wing we will all resume our work. For now, we will review all safety protocol." She explained with exactly zero emotion.

I breathed in a huge breath, thanking the stars that it hadn't been Eric. I was sad to know that Chow had been destroyed though. He was one of the vampires that Ari had said he knew. He had worked for Eric for quite sometime apparently. I sat thinking about how easily it could have been Eric or his Childe who's name I had learned was Pam. Lena droned on and on about the importance of following all the safety directives and that the facility could not afford mistakes like this. I wanted to smack her silly for being so callous.

A man slipped in to the room from a door at the back of the room, it came from gods knows where. He whispered to Lena briefly before he went back out the way he came. The man sitting to my left noticed me watching him and told me that those doors lead to the security access halls that were off limits to everyone except the Human Security Squad members.

Jesus Christ on a hot buttered biscuit! This place was more then a secret silver dome as I'd called it, it was a Silver Dome. The Human Security Squads only worked at the Domes and nowhere else. It was what they were created for. The capture and transfers and policing of vampires and their minions. How many were there really? What where in the 13 big mirrored domes spread throughout the country if all the captured vampires were kept in places like VPO? The real Silver Domes were these normal looking non-curiosities arousing VPO pharmaceutical companies covers.

"We've been given the all clear to resume our work on C wing." Lena announced pulling me from my realizations about where I was really working.

Everyone stood and grabbed their belongings and filed out of the meeting room chatting amongst each other about what had happened and expressing their curiosity about what we were going to have to deal with once we got back on our wing. I didn't engage anyone, but I was thinking the same things. I could hear and feel excitement from most of them which pissed me off. They were excited about seeing the aftermath, they were looking forward to getting enjoyment from poor Chow's misfortune.

Once we were all gathered in the control center for our wing Lena called us all to attention.

"You will each begin with your priority subjects. The security control measures are inclusive in the event of a subject or subjects breaking free. Every cell will have been affected. We are now a shift behind on all procedures and it is imperative that we get all the subjects back to operating standards. Each subject is to be given a double dose of their allotted blood supplies and need to be cleaned up so our work can resume with the incoming morning shift. You will have to work around the cleaning crews that will be in and out making repairs and cleaning up the remaining silver. Get to it people"

Once we all reached our wing, I grabbed my charts from the technician who worked on my vampires and with a huge ball of dread in my chest headed down the corridor to my section. What I saw gutted me. All my patients were badly burned from the UV lights and silver, their skin was still sizzling from where it coated them. They were all conscious tonight and wildly agitated. I could feel the rage and pain rolling off all of them.

I got to Eric's cell and keyed in the code to let me in. He hissed viciously at me as soon as I entered the room. His skin was blistered and red from the contact with silver and he was burnt badly from the UV lights. The whole cell was covered in silver particles and the room was in total disarray from what I guessed was the entry of the Human Security Squad securing the room.

"It's me, Susanna." I said as I moved quickly around the room trying to gather what I'd need to undo the damage he'd suffered. "I'm going to get you fixed up. Please don't hurt me."

He stilled as he listened to my voice. I hoped that was a sign he'd recognized that I wasn't here to harm him. I filled three basins with warm water and soap. I knew the faster I got the silver off him the quicker he'd heal. Bless Ari for telling me everything he had. Otherwise I'd have wasted time trying to deal with his burns since they were so horrific.

I peeled off the sheet and gown that he'd had on since it was saturated in colloidal silver. He growled and hissed when I did as it was stuck to his burns.

"I'm sorry. I thought it'd be better to just get it over with quickly." I told him as I began pour the first of the basins of water over his skin to rinse off anything loose.

He grunted and nodded his head. I started wiping him down carefully with the soapy water and a soft cloth. I watched as his skin began to slowly knit itself back together as I got all the silver off him. I poured the rest of the bin of clean water over his body, dried him off carefully and put a clean gown and sheet over him. I grabbed the last basin and moved on to take care of his face and hair.

"Thank you." He murmured through charred lips.

"You're welcome. I am very sorry about what happened to Chow." I told him quietly.

He locked his eyes onto mine. I knew he was trying to figure out how I knew Chow's name since the poor vampire had never once been conscious since I'd been here. There was suspicion burning hotly in the depths of his eyes.

"I know you have questions Eric, but you can trust me. I swear that." I whispered next to his ear as I finished washing out his hair.

I turned to the cart and began getting his dose of blood ready. I was careful to measure out the exact amount when I noticed Lena and a team of people standing outside Eric's cell. Damn! I was hoping to slip him a little extra. I heard the crackle of the intercom, but it wasn't producing any normal sound. It must have been damaged by the silver coating it. The door hissed open a moment later and they all stepped inside.

"How is he coming along?' Lena asked.

"I'm working on him. I've cleaned him up and am just about to administer his blood allotment. After that I'll move on to closing his wounds and cleaning the burns." I told them stifling the annoyance I felt and getting pissed at the way they were looking at him.

"Excellent!" a man in the back piped up. I got from his head that he was a visitor here and would be sitting in on Eric's procedures tomorrow. I also saw what they had planned for him and felt sick. I wanted to do things that sorry bastard that no good woman should.

"Gentleman, if you'll follow me, we'll move on to our next priority subject." Lena said chipper as could be.

As soon as the door hissed shut and I was sure they were gone I let loose a string of curses and thoughts about what they all deserved. I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard Eric chuckle.

"My, my Sookie. Saucy, I like it." He said the corner of his mouth was quirked up in a smirk.

"Yea, well they are no count low rent trash! The whole lot of them." I hissed. "You don't deserve the things they are doing to you. I hate it."

He waggled his eyebrows at me, and I couldn't hold back my amusement at his antics. This was the Eric I had come to know. He always had some snarky, innuendo laced quips and suggestive looks for me despite his dire circumstances.

He looked at me with a different light in his eyes, one I hadn't seen before. I didn't know what that look meant, but I knew it was something big and I felt him push into my mind.

"I don't think you realize, you've changed everything for me." I felt the thought slither into my mind. It was icy and dark like always, but I felt something warm this time as well.

I broke out in goosebumps but this time it wasn't just from hearing a vampire's thoughts. It was the sentiment behind his words. I meant something to him. There was still light in him and he was letting me see that.

"Me too." I told him. "You have for me too."

He smiled looking exhausted and his eyes closed, his head dropped back onto the gurney.

I knew Now was the time to tell him everything about Ari and what I knew and what I was going to help them do. It was clear the recording equipment was damaged, and this might be my only chance.

I grabbed his dose of blood and injected into the tubing in his arm. I watched as I always did as his body used the meager substance to heal his damaged body and I ached for him. I had to get him out of here. They'd call me a traitor to my kind and maybe I was. All I know was that I was going to do what I had to do for Eric and the others.

"Eric? are you still awake?" I asked.

He opened his eyes and looked over at me. My breath caught at the tenderness I saw there.

"Eric listen While I was off over the weekend I went out and found a free vampire. You know I can see you glow, and you also know that humans know next to nothing about you since they wiped out almost all information about y'all after the Culling. I met a few before I found one willing to talk to me. His name is Ari, I mean Aurelius. He knew you, recognized the smell of your blood on my work shoes. You know him? Is he a friend?" I hurriedly told him.

"I know him, he is a friend. Sookie do you know how crazy that was?" He asked.

I made a face that made it clear that I was aware and pushed forward with my story.

"I made friends with him and convinced him that I was trying to help you. He told me everything he could think of that was important to know about vampires. That's how I knew Chow's name. I described as many of the vampires here as I could recall, and he made a list of all of you and told me the names of the ones he recognized including Pam who I also care for."

At the mention of Pam, he became tense. I didn't give him time to ask questions. I knew the cleaning and repair crews would be hear soon and I had to give him all the details.

"She is well as can be. I make extra time to spend with her and slip her extra blood when I can. She thanked me for taking care of you Friday before I left here for the day. She seems to be pleased that I do her hair for her when I have the time."

He snorted out a laugh and smiled at that. Clearly that was something that meant something to him and reassured him. I could feel that from him.

"Anyway, Ari and some others have been searching for you for years and he was very pleased to hear you are still alive, undead, whatever. I am gathering information about this facility for him and he and the others are going to work with me to find a way to get you out of here." I hurriedly finished as I saw the crews entering the hall from the service elevator.

"Why?" he asked.

I was confused. what the heck did he mean why?

"I cannot stand the thought of you suffering. I…I care about you." I admitted nervously.

"You did all this for me?" He said the shock clear on his face. "You risked your life to hunt down a vampire that could have killed you for fear of being exposed. You risk being caught by these zealots now even telling me this."

"Well, yea. I did. Nothing has made me sadder than imagining myself not seeing you ever again." I felt the blush creeping up my neck. I could not believe I had just admitted that to him. I had barely admitted that to myself.

"Sookie..." he started to say but at that moment the door slid open and the cleaning crew came in.

His face locked down and he hissed at the crew as they came closer to us. I looked at him one last time and set about putting away all the supplies, so the cleaners could do what they had to. I still had other vampires that needed my care and the tension in the room was suffocating me.

I felt him pushing against my mind as I was headed for the door, but I couldn't hear whatever he was going to say. I slammed up my shields and hurried from the cell before I lost my composure. I was terrified of what he was going to say to my confession. Afraid he'd tell me not to try and help them. That was just something I wasn't willing to do. I was going to get him out of her and as many of the others as I could manage.

I made my way though all my patients, they were all in horrible shape, worse than Eric had been. I knew that the younger the vampire was the more damage the UV lights and silver would do to them. I felt so awful for all of them. Most of them hissed and growled at me through the entirety of the care I was giving them. It was the scariest night I had with any of them, but I understood that they were all in terrible pain and tried not to take it personally. Most of them I had never seen this lucid and I could only guess it had to do with the fact that one of their own had been killed.

Eric didn't leave my mind for a minute. I kept replaying our conversation over and over and I was both dying to know what he had wanted to say and scared to death of it at the same time. It was true though. I did care about him a great deal and I would truly be sad if something happened to him and I never saw him again.

I was just finishing up with Pam when an announcement came over the comm system asking everyone to report to the control center.

She hissed at me as I started packing up my supplies to head to the control center.

"Don't you hiss at me Pamela Swynford De Beaufort." I snipped.

She raised an inquiring eyebrow at me. It was clear that she was surprised that I knew her name since she was listed only as vampire female 154 years.

"Oh yes, I know your name and several more things too." I informed her. "Ari told me about you."

The glare she leveled on me would have sent most mortals running but I wasn't having any of it. I needed to make her understand that I was not the enemy despite the fact that I work for the LODI assholes.

"Aurelius, Eric's friend told me who most of you are. The ones of you he knows anyway. He said to tell you he'd burn all your Manolo's if you give me any shit." I informed her with authority.

She balked and swallowed. "He wouldn't dare!" She seethed.

I just smiled and it was clear she knew he absolutely would. Her demeanor settled after that.

"Eric?" she asked softly.

"He's well as can be. I made sure he was as comfortable as I could manage. We're going to get you out. It's in the works." I whispered to her as I adjusted her position while I covered her.

She gave me a curt nod and a firm look of complicity. I squeezed her shoulder as I finished covering her. It seemed the knowledge I'd shared with her gave her some sort of peace and I was glad for it. I hoped in the future our interactions would be less tense.

I left her cell in a hurry since I had burnt time, I didn't have talking with her. I made my way to C wing central control. Most of the C wing personal were already gathered and I slipped into the back. Lena was standing in the front with a sheet she was looking over with intensity. A man was whispering with her, the same man from the meeting earlier. I got the sinking feeling this meeting wasn't going to be the run of the mill briefing.

Lena looked over us all and then back at her sheet then she called order to the room.

"Thank all of you for your hard work tonight." She began. "There will be new assignments based on this evening events. For most of you it will be your standard schedule but for a select few you will be gaining new assignments."

No! No. I prayed silently that I would not be shifted from any of my vampires. So much was a stake. Since my section had been the affected one, I was terrified I'd be reassigned elsewhere. I held my breath as Lena continued.

Techs 3 and 4 you will keep your same subjects. Tech 2 your services will no longer be required as your subjects are being transferred to special projects, turn in your credentials on the way out." She said.

I was tech 1 and I was choking on my breath waiting to hear the fate of my vampires and myself. It couldn't end now, not now that I was so close to saving them.

"Tech 1, you will be assigned 2 new vampires. They will both be priority. I expect that we can continue to count on you to display quality work and timely prep." She informed me with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

Holy shit! I thought I might pass out. I was the prize on this damned ward. My compassion was going to damn 2 more vampires to the hell this facility promised. I forced air into my constricted lungs and nodded to Lena. I felt no pride, no accomplishment, only sadness and disgust.

"All of you will be given tomorrow night off since we called you all in so early and you worked a shift and a half. That will be all. Enjoy your time off. "She told us and then walked away.

I gathered my personal belongings and made my way out of the facility as quickly as possible. I brushed off all the congratulations my colleagues tried to give me. I felt dirty and angry. I wanted to scream and cry and break things. I needed to talk to Ari as soon as possible. If they had begun sending our ward to special projects in was just a matter of time before Eric and the others would be beyond our help.


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't stop thinking about the special projects team as I drove back to my condo. I had heard mentions of that team a few times and none of what I heard had been good. Once a vampire was transferred to them, they never came back. I had heard some of the higher-level staff on my wing talking about it being an end game unit. That once a vampire or group of vampires had outlived their usefulness in the tests our unit did, they were sent to special projects for the kind of testing and experimentation that would prove to be fatal.

Dawn was just breaking when I pulled up to my unit and I knew I'd get no rest today. I desperately needed to speak to Ari and see just how quickly we could move to get Eric and the others out, if it could even be done. I dropped my purse, keys and sweater unceremoniously onto the side table and headed into the kitchen for coffee. Needing to occupy myself I headed to my small office while I waited for the coffee to perk. I pulled out a sketchbook and some colored pens from the old desk I'd kept from my grans house and set about drawing a rough sketch of the VPO facility. I made notes on where cameras and keypads were located. I noted all the security checkpoints and the number of guard's station at each, I included the number of steps from each to the next and the shift rotations I had observed the night before. I had scored an extra set of anti-glamour contacts before I left claiming I had lost one of mine so that I could hand them off to Ari if they might need them to sneak past security.

Once I'd gone over my rough blueprint a few times to make sure I'd put down as much as I remembered I tucked it away in a drawer. I still was wired to the point that attempting sleep would be futile. I paced around my kitchen trying to figure out how to get in contact with Ari. He had said he'd be in touch, but I'd been remiss in not getting any contact information from him. The only way I could think of was to again go to Merlotte's had harass some young vampires, so they'd report me. I made a mental reminder to get a number or email or something if I need to contact him in the future.

My mind drifted back to the last time I'd been with Eric and the message he had very clearly want to give me. I was kicking myself now. I should have left my mind open, should have been brave enough to hear what he had to say. I had panicked, I had revealed my feelings to him, and I wasn't sure I could handle a confirmation or rejection. Angry with myself and worried for my vampires I turned to cleaning. I cleaned everything inside and out trying to burn off all this nervous energy. After several hours of cleaning and a shower I was winding down. I picked out the outfit I'd wear later to go vampire hunting and crawled into bed laughing. Vampire hunting indeed, I must be a little mad, only a complete nut would purposely stalk vampires.

I woke up at twenty after nine well rested and ready to kick ass. I made myself a quick dinner and called my brother since he'd left me 15 voicemails while I was asleep. On the third ring he answered the phone breathless.

"Hey Jase, what's up?" I asked.

"Sookie, bout time you called back." He said annoyed.

This was so typical of him. I'd call him and leave one message and he'd take 5 days to answer and get huffy if I was irritated with him but if I didn't pick up or call back immediately, he was seriously put out.

"Jason, I work nights. I was asleep." I answered flatly.

"Right, yea, well anyway I just wanted to let you know some guy came by the farm house looking for ya last night. I told him you didn't live here, and he said he knew that but needed to reach you and left his number. You got a man I don't know about?" He asked curiosity lacing his voice.

I barked out a laugh and rolled my eyes to the heavens. This was the big emergency? For Pete's sakes he sure could be dramatic and nosy.

"No Jason I do not have a secret lover. Honestly I thought something bad happened the amount of times you called and the messages you left." I said testily. "Who was this man anyway and what number did he leave."

I was hoping that it was Ari and that I wouldn't have to go through the whole insane process I was planning to undertake tonight. I was soon to be disappointed.

"Short guy, blond hair, weird accent." He said, "Not from around here I reckon."

"Well give me his number and I'll call and see what he wants." I said as I gabbed a pen and paper from the kitchen drawer.

I scribbled down the mans number and thanked Jason for the message. We talked for a little while longer before he said he had to go and meet Hoyt and some of the other guys he hung around with at the lake for fishing and beers.

"Be careful Sook, this guy had a weird vibe around him, he's other." He warned before we hung up.

Shit! It wasn't Ari as I hoped but whoever he was he wasn't human. Jason just like everyone in our family had gifts. Different from mine but he had crazy intuition and the ability to read a lie on anyone. Like all of us he could see vampire glow and sense the difference in oddities like us. I'd asked him a few times when we were growing up if he knew why we were different, but he'd always given me a look and told me shit if he knew but said Gran had once mentioned a great great grandfather who was the first with the gift. I asked Gran once and she'd told me we just were the way we were and made me promise to never reveal it to anyone.

Right up until last week I had always kept that promise. I'd told two vampires all about me. I wondered if my Gran was rolling in her grave at my decision. After the Culling Gran had gotten even more adamant about keeping our gifts quiet, said we'd be hunted for being different. I knew that was the truth, but I had to believe that my decision to tell Eric and Ari about me had been a good one. I was doing good in a world that would hate me for it.

Isn't' it always that way? The bold and the brave trying to do something good pay the heaviest price. History fully agreed with me. Despite the fear that lanced through my chest at what I was risking and the horrible price I could have to pay for going against what the world thought fair, I was determined.

It was past 10 when I started dressing and doing my hair and make up to head out on my mission to get in touch with Ari. I ate the dinner I'd thrown in the oven earlier, slid into a pair of cute flats, grabbed my purse and keys and headed out to Bon Temps to hunt myself some vampires.

I pulled into Merlotte's 45 minutes later, it was already in full swing when I walked though the doors. Sam shot me a hateful look as I sat down at the bar. Guess he was still pissed about last weekend. Well he'd just have to build himself a bridge and get over it. I waved to Tara as she strolled past with a tray full of drinks. Layfette was working the bar tonight and shot me an appraising look as he leaned onto the bar smiled at me.

"OOhhhh Sook, look at yo sexy ass!" He exclaimed dramatically while snapping his fingers in a Z.

It was hotter than the 7th level of hell tonight so I had opted for wearing a turquoise sundress with a halter neck, low back and a full skirt with my Grans pearls and silver stud earrings and bangles. Not real silver because that would go against my intent to corral a vampire. I hadn't set out to look sexy, I just didn't want to sweat myself into a lather.

"Hey, Lala! How've you been?" I asked blushing from his lascivious look.

"Oh, I's good. You gonna break some hearts up in here." He said laughing, "What can I get ya?"

I laughed at his antics and ordered myself a gin and tonic and a Red Velvet. He winked at me and I stuck my tongue out at him before he turned to make my drinks. I scanned the bar while I waited looking for the tell-tale glow of a vampire. I was disappointed to find none, just humans and a few other creatures that I was learning to identify thanks to the tutoring on supernatural creatures I'd gotten from Ari. Sam's snarly mind indicated shifter and there were two others sitting by the pool tables, a darker version of that snarlyness indicated a Were of some sort. Wolves were the dominate Were species but there were several other kinds of animals as well. I had no idea there where this many kinds of metamorphs.

I'd also been informed about Daemons, Fairies who were actually called Fae and several others that were so rare Ari said it wasn't worth talking about. Layfette was working his magic behind the bar and grinned at me as he slid my drinks in front of me. He gave me a wink and blew me a kiss before sauntering down the bar towards a group of men who were hollering for more beer. I'd been sitting at the bar for about a half hour when I felt the air shift, it was like the air shivered. Only one creature had that effect on the atmosphere, vampire.

I took my shot of Red Velvet and slowly turned on my barstool to see who it was I'd be sending my message to Ari through. It was that same group of young vampires I'd encountered the weekend before. Apparently, this was a favorite hunting ground of theirs. I smiled at the dark skinned amber eyed vampire as I slid of my stool and my way towards their table. He glared at me as I approached clearly not happy to see me headed their way.

I slid into the empty chair at their table and dipped my head in his direction, he was the eldest and clearly the vampire I needed to address. Surprisingly he inclined his head to me as well.

"Susanna." He said by way of greeting.

I barely contained the shock I felt that he knew who I was. His answering grin indicated that he found it amusing.

"You have me at a disadvantage. You know my name buy I don't know yours." I said.

"Mmmm Cher, I was made aware of you by my superior. I am Samuel. I was instructed to be helpful were I to encounter you again." He answered with a lilting southern drawl.

Well, well apparently Ari had made sure I could get to him if need be. This reception was a far cry from the last time I had encounter this trio. I'd have to remember to thank him for that. This vampire judging by his glow was around 150, that put him at a making of sometime in the 1800's which explained the varied lilt in his drawl.

"Lovely to meet you Samuel. I will assume Ari is responsible for your friendliness." I said with just a hint of sass. His eyes went wide, and I cocked my head at him questioningly.

"You are very bold Cher. I ain't never heard anyone call the Master Ari before." He replied with an amused look on his face.

"Yes, well his name is a dang mouthful. He didn't seem to mind so much when I told him I'd be calling him that." I said with a smile.

Samuel inclined his head to hide the smile I saw there. He looked to his companions and told them to go find something to amuse themselves with while we spoke.

"What you need Cher?" he inquired.

"I need to speak to Ari. Things have changed." I answered vaguely.

I wasn't aware of how much Ari had told his underlings and I knew from the education Ari had given me that breaking protocol was a big deal in their society. I noticed him sniffing in my direction and I wondered what in hell he was trying to smell. I leveled him with a look, and he knew I'd noticed.

"Pardon Cher I was just trying to see if you were his." He said slightly ashamed.

"I am not. I have no Master." I answered.

I knew how the claiming between vampires and humans went. Ari spent an extra amount of time going over those things as they were extremely important in their society. I knew a human claimed by one of their kind were scared and never to be breached by others. I also knew having a claim on you meant a protection by any vampire in their fealty.

"The Master has given you his protection. Any in this area will answer to him for any offense to you. He has never in the 100 years I've known him given this respect to anyone. I was only curious. I hope I haven't offended you." He explained.

"No offense was taken. Ari explained these things to me. If you could please let him know I need to see him I would very much appreciate it." I told him.

He looked extremely relieved and I was glad. I needed friends not enemies if I was going to free Eric from the hell, he was currently living in. Samuel pulled out his cell phone and began texting at an inhuman speed.

"You ought to be careful. They'll notice that sort of thing." I told Samuel, "The humans I mean. Despite their ignorance they are highly receptive."

He cocked his head in my direction and gave me an investigative look. It hit me then what I'd said. Shit!

"Are you not human Cher?" he asked confused.

Damn! Damn! Damn! God I could be an obtuse fool sometimes. I rested my forehead on my hand and tried to formulate what the hell I was going to say now. Samuel was watching me with speculative eyes.

"Not entirely. I am, I'm something else." I told him plainly.

He scanned me over head to toe and took a deep breath scenting what ever it was they could smell that I could not and nodded.

"I have told him you asked for him. He will likely arrive within the hour." Samuel told me.

Tara strolled up to use at the moment and was eyeing Samuel appreciatively. I laughed to myself and introduced them. I ordered us 2 shots of Red Velvet and Tara whispered in my ear before she went to get the drinks that she was interested in my new friend.

"Cher, surely you know I cannot imbibe alcohol." Samuel said.

"I know." I said winking at him and patted my purse, "I've got that covered. You need to be one of us."

He smiled at me then and his eyes followed Tara on her rounds around the bar and I knew that they were going to eventually hook up. So, I felt it pertinent to warn him about her predilections to prejudice.

"She doesn't like your kind. She's a sweet person with a beautiful soul but her hate runs deep. Tread carefully." I warned him.

He just grinned at me clearly liking that challenge. I left him to his plotting and returned to my seat at the bar that Layfette had so nicely saved for me. I hadn't parked my ass in the barstool for more than a few minutes when Sam approached me looking mad as a wet hen.

"Quite the company you're keeping these days Sookie. "He said his voice full of anger.

"Really? Why do you say that Sam?" I asked barely concealing my irritation.

"You seem to be finding every bit of riff raff in my bar these days." He said in a chastising tone.

I was absolutely seething at his tone, implications and the look he was trying to level me with. I was about to give him a seething retort when the air shivered all around me and a pair of strong hands landed on my shoulders. Ari.

"Good evening Susanna." He purred seductively.

"Ari." I said just as seductively and clasped his hand in mine.

Sam looked like he was going to break things and like he wanted to drag me out from under Ari's hands. I was pissed enough that I didn't care. The reason for my presences here tonight had just arrived and Sam's irritation was not something I was interested in dealing with. It did not escape my notice that Ari was clearly trying to piss him off. I smiled happily at Ari as he extended a hand to me.

"Shall we get a booth?" he asked smoothly.

I slipped my hand into his and noticed that Samuel and his friends had secured a booth in the back corner of the bar for us. The conversation we were about to have required privacy.

"Yes lets." I answered with a wink.

Sam was absolutely seething as we left the bar and made our way to the awaiting booth. I could see nothing but pure masculine satisfaction on Ari's face and I laughed quietly to myself. Ari led me into the booth and slipped across from me still looking utterly pleased with himself.

"Enjoyed that did you?" I asked mirthfully.

"You've no idea how much." He said full of himself.

"Thank you for the rescue. I was about to rip him apart. Your timing is impeccable." I said trying to conceal my laugh.

This levity was about to come to a very sudden end, so I enjoyed it while it lasted. I truly liked Ari, he was amusing and fierce. It hinted to me what Eric would probably be like when he was free of the horrible circumstances, he was currently in.

"You're very welcome. I do enjoy riling the rabble." He said with that crooked grin of his, "My underlings informed me that you had important news for me."

There it was, the end of our fun. It was time to get down to the business I'd come here to accomplish. My smile fell and I looked at him seriously.

"Things have changed. They are sending out vampires from my wing to special projects. None of them will make it back from that. It's end game." I told him with remorse, "We need to get them out soon or it'll be too late."

His face locked down in that silent still way only vampires could manage. I sat silently and let him digest what I'd just told him. He clearly thought we'd have more time and this news hit him hard. I had the sneaking suspicion that one of the vampires on my wing meant more to him than he let on. I knew he wanted Eric back as they'd known each other for centuries but it was something more I saw in his eyes.

"I have quite a bit of information for you, but this isn't the place to discuss this. Would you like to drive me home and we can hash this out there?" I asked quietly.

He nodded but then shot me that crooked smile of his. He patted the booth next to him and I grinned back before hopping up and sliding in next to him bumping my hip into his.

"I need to be one of them first. Are you going to help me with that?" He asked with amusement in his eyes.

He was right of course. If we just bolted out, we'd raise suspicion and, in these times, no one could afford that. I waved Tara down and ordered shots for Ari, myself and Samuel and his friends, I included one for Tara as well.

"Glamour her to bring 4 empty shot glasses and to take a trip to the ladies." I whispered in Ari's ear.

His eyes locked onto mine and utter shock crossed his features. I needed to make them one of us and there was no way I could pour four bloods unnoticed. I shot Ari a look that I damn sure hoped he understood. I nodded towards my purse and understanding lit his face. He squeezed my knee and I smiled at him. I felt bad about tampering with Tara's mind, but necessity is the mother of all desperation.

"Eric is a very lucky male to have a female like you." He said after he sent his glamour into Tara, "I'll be sure to let him know once he is free."

We all drank our shots, blood for the vampires and Red Velvets for Tara and me. We spent an hour just being locals before we closed our tabs and made our way out into the night. Sam spent his time giving me dirty looks but refrained from approaching my table full of vampires. Samuel and his friends bid us good night before blurring off into the night. Ari opened my car door for me, ever the gentleman. We spent the drive back to Shreveport in silence both of us lost to our thoughts. Once we were close to my building, he parked my car and let me out of the car and offered his arm for the block walk to my condo.

"Tell me." Was all he said as we walked to my condo.

I explained everything that happened. The breech of security, the special projects unit, the danger that was looming over Eric and the other vampires. I told him about all the notes I'd made. Once we were securely inside where no one could here us I told him about the map I'd made.

"We need to move soon. They won't have long now Ari." I sighed. A weight pressed down on me as I thought about the events of yesterday.

I was lost to my thoughts about Eric and the damn distance I had left between us. I still wanted to kick myself for shutting him out. What if I never had the chance to find out. Risk be damned. I needed to know what he wanted to say to me.

I pulled out the plan of the building I had drawn out. I let Ari scan the plans and the notes I had made. He hissed viciously at what he saw there. Then he went utterly still in the way vampire do when they hit the point of pissed and contemplativeness exclusive to their kind. I plopped down onto my sofa and ran a hand through my hair. I blew out a deep breath and waited for him to process what I told him.

"I can work with this." He said firmly, "it'll be complicated and messy, but it can be done."

A little flame of hope bloomed in my heart. It could be done, it would likely end in blood shed and it wouldn't be easy, but it could be done. We could free Eric and at least some of the others. Hopefully the chaos would allow others to find their way to freedom as well.

"He'll need to be strong Susanna. Stronger then just the animal blood will provide for." He said softly.

Oh, Jesus Christ Sheppard of Judah! How the hell was I going to get human blood to him without notice. I had managed to slip him small quantities before mixing it with the rat's blood. Ari was looking at me with sympathy in his eyes and I began to worry what that look meant.

"He'll need human blood, a lot of it." He said and looked at me pointedly, "Fresh blood."

It hit me then. Oh hell! How the shit was I going to get him the blood he'd need to escape. Lord above. I had an idea. This was the definition of nuts. I was sure now that I was totally of my rocker, cheese done slipped of my cracker. If my Gran wasn't spinning before she was about to be.

"Ari. I need you to test a theory with me." I told him, "I am not exactly a normal human and you told me I smell better than any human you've ever been near."

His eyes shot to mine and his pupils were fully blown as my words registered. Yep, I was totally crazy.

"I want you to taste my blood and see what it does for and to you." I said just as matter of fact as I could manage.

"No." Was all he said his eyes still fixed on me in a way that should scare the hell out of me.

"Yes. It needs to be done. I cannot get any other blood to him other than my own. I need to know Ari. If whatever runs in my veins can save him." I stared him down making it clear that I knew this was crazy but also necessary.

I damn well knew whatever supernatural creature ran in my family made me different and based on what Ari had told me it probably made my blood different too. I couldn't get blood to Eric in the amounts he'd need other than in my own veins. I was watching Ari watch me. It was very clear he was having some internal battle with himself. I continued to stare him in the no nonsense way my Gran used to stare at me.

"Fuck!" He swore as he leapt up from my sofa and began pacing my condo.

He knew I was right with the amount of security at the Dome I'd never be able to smuggle in human blood to Eric. Why the hell he was so resistant to the idea of sampling my blood I was still at a loss for. He was pacing around my house like a caged beast. I just sat and watched him try to walk off whatever was eating him.

"What is the problem Ari?" I finally asked after he paced and swore for twenty minutes.

He whorled around on me and was two centimeters from my face before I knew what happened. His pupils where enormous and he looked like he was pained.

"You smell delicious. Any vampire would die for a taste of what's in you. The control it would take not to drink you dry would be monumental. I could manage at my age but you... you are going to belong to him one day. This is a very delicate line we are tip toeing down Susanna. Yet you offer your blood like it's nothing!" He seethed out as he continued his pacing.

"Ari. I know what I am asking of you is not something minor. I am placing my trust in you. I need to know, we need to know if I'll be enough to make him strong enough. I need you to, Eric needs you to do this. I belong to no one now. I don't know if Eric even thinks of me that way. He's a captive and I am a nice woman who cares for him. He could just as easily kill me when I free him as he could look after me." I said airing the dirty laundry of my confused and fragile feelings for Eric.

Ari stopped his pacing and stared at me like I had grown a second and third head. He cocked his head as if he were trying to solve a mystery. He sat down on the coffee table in front of me and stared me some more, long enough that I started squirming under his scrutiny.

"What?" I demanded.

"You cannot possibly believe he'd hurt you. You are, you're unique among humans and whatever else it is you are." He said firmly, "No male in his right mind would turn down what you mean to offer him."

He dropped his head into his hand and sighed loudly. An odd thing coming from a vampire. There are unnaturally still and quiet. It was the most human thing I'd ever seen him do.

"I'll agree to this test and hope he won't try to kill me for it later." He said resigned.

He told me I would need to be absolutely still so as not to arouse the hunt in his nature, that he would only drink from my wrist as it was the least intimate place on me available. He made it clear to me that as far as he was concerned, I was Eric's even if he hadn't asked and I hadn't agreed. He further stipulated that after he'd sampled my blood no matter what happen that I was not to leave the couch until he gave the all clear, that if he left the house I was not under any circumstances to follow him and that I would explain this shit show to Eric when the time came.

I readily agreed to all his terms despite the fact that letting him drink from me scared the Jesus out of me. This not something I'd ever considered doing before. This was not something any sane person would consider but by God I was getting Eric out of there no matter what. So I extended my arm to Ari and nodded.

He took a very deep and unnecessary breath and clasped my arm in his hand. He ran his nose along my wrist smelling me, he licked over the veins in my wrist and I nearly had a stroke, this was way more intimate than I imagined. He chuckled at my reaction, it'll ease the pain of the bite he told me. I heard his fangs snap into place and I held my breath.

"You're going to need to breathe Susanna, fainting won't do either of us any favors." He whispered.

I took a few deep breaths and sank back into the couch. He struck then. I felt his fangs puncture my skin and damn me right to hell that sensation was something I was not prepared for. Heat raced all over my skin and under it and I bit down on my tongue to keep from releasing the sound that was trying to get out.

He made a sound that humans were not capable of as he swallowed a draw of my blood. His eyes locked onto mine and there I only saw a predator. There was not an ounce of color left, his pupils had eaten his irises. I paced my breathing and relaxed so I wouldn't set off the reaction he'd warned me about. He pulled his fangs from my wrist and fell flat on his ass where he laid panting for 15 minutes. I wrapped a bandage around my arm even though it wasn't bleeding, he'd mentioned that he'd seal the wound when he left my wrist. When he had gone quiet and was just lying there where he'd fallen.

"Well?" I demanded.

"I've never Susanna." He said still lying with his eyes closed, "What you carry is the most divine thing I've ever tasted. It'll be more than enough."

There it was. I had to blood to make Eric strong and Ari had the plan to get him out.

"Four days Susanna. You feed him for four days then me and mine will break them out. Be ready." Was all he said as he fled my house like he was on fire.


	5. Chapter 5

I sat on the couch for a long time after Ari left. Four days. In four days, they'd attempt to free Eric and the others. This was what I had been hoping for, but now that it was on the verge of becoming reality an unsettled feeling made itself a home in my chest. So many things could go wrong. Not to mention I had no idea what was going to happen to any of us after we staged this mutiny. Most of all I was a nervous wreck about what I was going to do. I'd for sure be out of a job in the best-case scenario, in the worst I'd end up a prisoner in one of the Silver Domes or dead.

Then there was the subject I wasn't ready to broach yet, Eric. I'd developed feelings for him over the months I'd cared for him, not love, but a deep affection. Would he want anything to do with me? Did he feel anything for me? I'd already know the answer to the second question if I hadn't been such a coward last night. There'd be no getting around that once I returned to work tomorrow night. I sucked in a deep breath and ran my hands over my face. I went into the kitchen and poured myself a Gin and Tonic and paced around the kitchen wrestling with my feelings and thoughts. In the end it didn't matter if he wanted me or not, he deserved to be free and I was going to help make that happen.

Ari seemed damn convinced that I'd end up being Eric's. Certain to the point that he was afraid of the reaction he'd have to the little experiment we'd done tonight. At least I knew that my blood was some divine vampire jump starter. That I'd at the very least be able to strengthen him to the point he'd be able to fight. I had never seen a vampire react to blood they way Ari had mine. That could prove to be a complication too. I had no idea what kind of reaction Eric would have to my amped up blood.

Then there is the issue of how I was going to get my blood in to Eric to begin with. The cameras in his cell would prove tricky to hide that sort of activity from. I couldn't let him bite me that would not go unnoticed and I couldn't smuggle in a bag of it nightly either. I refilled my drink while I tried to come up with a plan to give him my blood. Then it hit me! I could tap my own vein with and IV needle and hook it up to short tubing with a flow stopper. I could release a flow of my blood right into his mouth while I was cleaning him up and no one would be the wiser. I would be able to conceal it under my sleeve and it wouldn't set of the metal detectors either. Perfect!

Now I just needed to get those supplies before I went to work tomorrow. I was also going to need iron pills and B vitamins to keep my blood supply sufficient for both of us while I was donating such large amounts. I could only think of one way to get what I needed. I hated bringing anyone else into this scheme but desperate times. I called a friend of mine from nursing school who worked in a hospital in Monroe. I explained the things I needed and when she asked why, lied and told her it was to take care of an elderly man who couldn't afford home care. She agreed to get the supplies for me and said she'd bring them by tomorrow morning after her shift was over. When she thanked me for being such a kind person for helping someone in need, I felt a little bit guilty, but Eric was old and in need, so it wasn't a total lie.

It was nearing dawn at this point and I needed to get some sleep, so I'd be fresh and ready to enact all the plans I'd been making. I grabbed a quick shower, laid out my work clothes for my shift and crawled into bed. I was still lying there awake and hour and half later when Meg arrived with the supplies, she'd pilfered for me. I thanked her and offered her some cash for her efforts. She declined and told me to make good use of them. I gave her a quick hug and assured her that I would. This time when I crawled back in bed sleep came fast and I was dead to the world.

I woke up to my alarm blaring at 4 that afternoon. I didn't waste anytime with the snooze button today. I had to construct my tap and make sure it was concealed fully under the shirt I planned to wear under my scrubs. I put on a pot of coffee, got dressed and began work on my little project. Forty minutes later I had five taps prepped and ready. A fresh tap for each day and then one extra just in case. I swabbed the vein in my wrist with an alcohol pad and inserted the needle. Once I saw that it was flowing well, I hooked up the tubing and tested that the stopper was working properly, it did. I went about taping it securely in place, then dressed quickly and examined my wrist from every angle to make sure you couldn't see anything. Satisfied that it was perfectly concealed I grabbed my ID, purse, keys and a light sweater and set off to work.

Tonight, thankfully there weren't swarms of Human Security Squads swarming the parking lots or employee entrance. I took a few minutes to get my anti glamour contacts in, checked my tap and tape job to make sure it was still secure and a few deep breaths to calm my fraying nerves. So much was riding on the things I was about to do. I was under no illusions that Eric wasn't going to tell me what ever he'd wanted to on my last shift. I also had to explain to him what was going to be happening in four days as well as the fact that I was going to be feeding him from my vein on top of his dose of rat's blood. I had to get all this done without arousing anyone's suspicion.

That meant that no matter what Eric's views on my little confession was, I'd have to hold it together, and warn him about the type of reaction he might have to the energizer blood I was about to give him. I needed him to not react. I also had to convince him that one he was flying high on my supernaturally laced blood that he could not let on to his tortures that he could rip their heads right off. I felt disgusted that I'd have to get him to agree to let them continue their testing until Ari and the other vampires he was bringing with him stormed the complex.

I got through all three security checkpoints without any issues and I breathed a sigh of relief as I made my way in to C wing central control. It was back to business as usual. Lena was looking constipated as usual, her faced pinched and cold as always as she was surveying charts from dayshift. The day tech for my vampires handed me my charts and gave report of what had been done during the day. Then he handed me two extra charts and explained that we had two new priority vampires added to our group. Damn! I had forgotten all about them. He informed me that he hadn't seen them today because they'd be in procedures since their arrival and that they still had not been brought down, but that they'd been assigned to C2 and C3.

"Susanna," Lena's shrill voice called from her desk on the opposite side of the control center. "Once you're finished getting report come and see me."

"Of course." I answered and gathered up all my charts.

I couldn't wait to hear what the viper wanted from me tonight. Of all nights tonight was not one I was in the mood to be civil with this woman. I took a seat in front of her and sat my charts in the chair to my right. She sat there for five minutes before she decided to acknowledge me. My temper was steadily on the rise, but I squashed it down to a dull roar and plastered on my most accommodating face.

"As you know you have been giving two new priority subjects. They may or may not arrive into your expert care tonight. However, when they do, they will take precedence over all your other subjects including C4." She said with a gleam in her eyes that never meant anything good.

I nodded my understanding, but she wasn't finished yet. She handed me a stack of procedural papers labeled Special Projects Prep. My heart dropped into the black pit that opened in my stomach.

"Also, we will begin winding down your other subjects over the next week in preparation to transfer them to special projects. Read over those sheets and begin preparing your subjects C4 through C9 for transfer." She said flatly.

It took every ounce of my self-control to not balk at what she just told me to do. Panic was lancing through my veins and I felt hot and sick. I had to know how long they had.

"When will the transfer take place," I asked. "I want to make sure I am on schedule." I added after she raised an eyebrow at me.

My added explanation seemed to please her, and she flipped open a file on her desk and scanned it quickly.

"Five days from today." She said and went back to her typing. I took this as conversation over.

We had time but no margin for error. If this liberation didn't take place in four days as we planned Eric and the others would be lost to us. I grabbed my charts and got out of there as quickly as was reasonable. I gulped down air into my constricted lungs and tried to calm my racing heart. I walked calmly along my section of vampires dropping their charts into the file holders attached to the wall outside their cells. Every time I came to a cell with a red tag that labeled the vampire inside as a Special Projects Subject, I got angrier and angrier.

I couldn't face Eric and do and say the things I needed to while I was this damn upset so I decided to start with Pam tonight and work my way backwards to Eric. I read over the procedures that I was expected to perform on my vampires that were to be shipped off and lo and behold there was a little ray of sunshine found there. None of the vampires selected for the Special Projects unit would be experimented on during the prep period, and they'd be given human blood rations instead of rat, apparently the wanted them fresh and healed when they arrived. I smiled then, wide and extremely pleased. Not only would Eric be juiced up on my blood but also fully healed when Ari and the others came, but several of the others would also be stronger and ready to fight.

That smile dropped right off my face when I entered Pam's cell. She looked worse than I had ever seen her. Half of her head was shaved and poor stitched shut, her coloring was grey, and she was awake and extremely agitated. She was babbling incoherent nonsense and hissing at god knew what. I keyed in my code to her cell and slipped inside. Her eyes shot straight to me and she growled at me.

"Oh Jesus! What have they done to you?" I asked more to myself than her.

She strained against her bindings and the flap of skin on her half bald head shifted and I noticed then that they tampered with her skull as well. I recognized this deformation as I had seen it on Eric before. They'd gone in and taken a piece of her brain. That explained her erratic speech and movement as well as the extreme agitation.

"I'm going to get you all fixed up Pam. Just try to relax if you can, you're only going to do more damage to yourself that way." I told her in my most soothing voice.

"Kill me." She hissed and my heart just broke for her.

I quickly went about gathering the supplies I'd need to clean her up and clean and repair her head wound as best I could. I had human blood in my cart tonight because of the requirements of my other vampires and I decided she was getting some too. I worked steadily and carefully on her. She hissed, growled and snapped at me the entire time. Her skin was liked dried out parchment and her eyes were sunken in deeply. I decided to also double her blood supply for tonight as well. If they asked, I'd just tell them she went critical. She stilled when I injected the human blood into her. I watched as the blood worked its magic and she looked a damn sight better than she had.

"I hope that helped. It's the best I can do. I'm so sorry." I told her and squeezed her shoulder.

"Thank you." She rasped.

"Try to rest. A little down time will do you good. I'll be back to check on you in a few hours." I said and headed for the door.

I made my way through the rest of my patients who for the most part were in pretty good shape. I tried not to think about why that was. Almost all of them were awake and alert and that made for some very interesting interactions. I wasn't accustomed to being sniffed and stared at and even questioned. It was nice for a change to see a glimpse of who they were when they weren't half tortured to the true death. I had taken care of all my patients except for Eric and since the two new vampires still hadn't been brought down, I was headed in to see him next.

I took a quick break and ate my first lunch that I had packed since I was going to be giving blood, I need to keep up my strength. It also gave me a little time to put together my thoughts so that I had a clear idea of what I was going to say to Eric and figure out a way to get around the microphone that hung directly above of each of my vampires. I made a stop into the lady's room and checked that my tap was still viable and ready, splashed a bit of water onto my face, gave myself a long look in the mirror, steeled my nerves, and set out to see Eric.

I felt him feel my approach as I walked up to the keypad outside his cell. He was awake and alert when I walked in and was mercifully not in bad shape. His color was awful as usual, and he looked tired but better than how I usually found him.

"Hello Susanna." He purred.

Oh, it was clear that he was feeling better this evening, his mischievous eyes surveyed me top to bottom and a shiver made its way over my skin.

"Hello yourself." I sassed back and the corners of his mouth turned up.

I did my usual routine of preparing all my supplies, getting water for cleaning him up and prepping the blood they knew about to give him. I made sure to over fill one of the basins of water and as I pushed the cart up next to him, I made sure to slosh a decent bit of it over the edge onto the floor next to him. This didn't go unnoticed by him either and he arched a brow at me questioningly. I was nothing if not meticulous in my work and this little slip wasn't something I ever did.

I felt his mind slip over mine and the chill of his thoughts slithered into my head.

"Am I making you nervous tonight?" Echoed into my consciousness.

I barely stifled the laugh that wanted to escape. He had no idea how nervous I was, for a few reasons. I just shook my head and glanced at the microphone above his head. He quirked his brow at me again clearly wondering what I was up to.

"Well let's get you cleaned up." I said out loud.

I took one step pivoted and slipped right on that water I sloshed onto the floor, grabbed the little hanging microphone as I fell and snapped the end right off. I hit the floor and a whoosh of air burst from my chest as the sharp crack of pain ran up my side from the impact with, the concrete floor.

"Damn it!" I swore loudly.

A moment later the garbled crackle of the very damaged micro phone sounded. I pushed myself up onto me knees and took a few breaths to purge the pain stinging in my right hip. I waved to the camera and sent them a thumbs up but thirty seconds later two large security guards burst into the cell.

"I'm fine. Everything's fine," I told them. "I just slipped on some water. I think I've damaged the sound equipment though."

Eric hissed at the both as they inspected the microphone I had ruthlessly yank out of the ceiling. They both concurred that it wasn't working and would require repair. I bit my tongue to keep from smiling thoroughly impressed with my work. I felt Eric's mind touching mine again and the coldness came across with curiosity this time.

"What are you up to Sookie?" he whispered into my head.

I just shot him a subtle wink and reminded myself to ask him just how it was that he knew my nickname. I turned my attention to the guards that where on their radios to maintenance asking for a repair crew.

"I'm sorry about the damage," I told them in a subdued voice. "I really have to finish my work here. Will it be ok to continue even with the damage?"

I could see that they were going to object and try and make me wait until the microphone was repaired. So, I cut them off before they could with and explanation, they were not going to argue with.

"This subject is slated for Special Projects. If his preparations are not done on schedule Lena will be extremely angry." I told them in the no nonsense voice I'd learned from my Gran.

The both visible blanched at dealing with a pissed of Lena, that woman truly was a viper more dangerous than any of the vampires here. They talked quickly and quietly between themselves before one of them extended me a radio.

"Keep this with you. If anything, else happens or you need assistance call us. I'd hate to get that woman's back up. Maintenance will be her within the hour." The guard informed me and they both headed for the exit.

"Thank you and sorry for the trouble." I said subdued pushing as much false remorse as I could into my voice.

"Accidents happen." The shorter of the two answered. "Try to be more careful."

Once they had both left the cell I got right down to business. I prepped his allowed blood supply and shot it into his vein. I needed to him to be as fully there as possible when I began my explanations. He was watching me with what looked like pride in his eyes.

"That was very sneaky Sookie. I'm impressed. "he said amused.

I grinned at him and shook my head. I was a woman on a mission, and no one should ever under estimate a lady with a plan.

"Thank you. I'll be here all week, "I said mirthfully but then more seriously. "I have things I need to tell you without an audience."

"Will I be allowed to speak this time, or do you plan on shutting me out again?" He asked.

I felt shame burn my cheeks. It had been truly shitty of me to not allow him to say his piece. I would not be a coward this time. I would listen to what he had to say and deal with the consequences, good or bad.

"I'm sorry about that. I panicked. You can tell me whatever you wish." I told him seriously.

He nodded accepting my apology and my agreement to let him have his say. I was glad I hadn't promised to abide by whatever he had to say because nothing was going to deter me from freeing him and the others.

"You smell like him again," He said flatly. "Are you his?"

It took me a minute to understand what it was he was talking about. Ari. Dear god the last time I'd seen him I had a drop of Ari's blood on me so that I could use it to let him know that he could trust me and that I truly meant to help him. He'd been in such bad shape that we had never gotten around to addressing the fact and I hadn't even realized that he'd noticed.

"No, I am not his," I told him. "He is my friend and accomplice in what I am about to tell you. He left a drop of blood on my clothes so that'd you'd know I was here to help you even though I work for the people I do."

I swear I saw relief pass over his face. I locked my eyes onto his and prepared to tell him everything he needed to know about what was coming but he cut me to the quick when he spoke first.

"I am glad you belong to no one. I've also known you to be a _friend_ for some time now." He said and the odd way he said friend lit a small fire of hope in my chest.

I decided now was the time to tell him everything. I had to get it out before the repair crews came and before he said anything to try and deter me from the path, I was dead set on. However, he wasn't done yet.

"I meant it when I said you changed everything for me. I have come to look forward to your visits and find myself missing them when you are not here. I have... I've come to care for you as well Sooke." He said with a rawness that stripped me bare.

I swallowed down the lump of emotion that well up in my throat. I squeezed his hand in mine as I washed the dried blood from his palm and fingers. Evidence of his pain from the last time they had taken him into the labs.

"Eric, there are very important things I need to tell you. Please let me finish before you asked questions or make comments," I hurriedly told him. "We won't have much time before they come repair that damned microphone.

He nodded to me understanding the urgency in my voice. I took a deep breath and moved to his other hand to clean away the dried blood there.

"Ari and I have been making plans for the last week to free you and as many other vampires as we possibly can from the facility. I have drawn out everything I could of the security and layout. He feels that him and the other vampires from your area can get you out. We plan to make our move in four nights. This is good since they plan to send you and several others to Special Projects from which you will never return." I said hurriedly and sucked in a breath as tear burned the backs of my eyes.

"I know you are weak, and I know you need to be stronger so that you can escape and help as many others as possible. I've started to see to getting Pam stronger and am sneaking her human blood. Ari told me you'd need much more and fresh at that. I cannot smuggle you the amounts that you'd require and could see no other option than to give you my own, so I had him taste my blood to see if it would be enough to get you back into top shape." I explained quickly.

A vicious growl erupted from him at that information and suddenly what Ari had said to me made a hell of a lot more sense.

"I am not fully human apparently and my blood is like some kind of energizer bunny type. Ari nearly stroked out after a tiny sip. He made it clear that it would be more than enough to get you back to full strength. Do not kill him, I did not give him a choice. I have tapped my vein and I AM going to feed you my own blood so that you are ready to get away. Don't argue I won't change my mind." I said and he was full on glaring at me by this point.

"I very much dislike your familiarity with Aurelius." He seethed.

"Be that as it may he is the only vampire who can help me undertake the crazy and monumental task that is coming. So here is what I have planned. This will be the only night we will be able to speak freely. I have tapped my own vein and when I clean up your hair and face, I am going to open that tap and put a tube into your mouth. I know exactly how long I can feed you without hurting myself. I need you to know that I have supernatural stuff running in there and that it is powerful. You absolutely cannot react to it. Based on Ari's reaction that may prove difficult, but you must not react." I explained making sure the seriousness of the situation came across on my features.

"When I am free of here then, you and I will discuss your interactions with other males. I will not react no matter what he has told you runs inside of you. I will also promise you that I will not kill him." He said through gritted teeth.

"No hurting him either," I accused. "he is the only reason I am going to be able to set you free."

"Fine!" he hissed not at all pleased.

I smiled at him and gave him a wink. He glared at me, but his mouth was quirked up at the corners. I knew we didn't have long before the repair crews would be here.

"I'm going to feed you now Eric. Do not react." I said emphatically.

I gave him no time to react. I moved the wash basin to his head and set about my work. I slid the end of the tubing taped to my wrist into his mouth and opened the stopper. His reaction was immediate. As soon as my blood hit is mouth his entire body locked up, an unbelievably seductive purr erupted in his chest and he grabbed onto my hip that was most closely located to his hand. I went about my tasks trying to ignore the heat that built in my belly at the sounds he made.

His eyes bore into mine and the look I saw there nearly brought me to my knees. I started counting the time, I knew exactly how much it took to expend the amount of blood I could afford to give him before I would suffer the effects of blood loss. The rapture in his eyes almost made me want to give more but at the end of 90 seconds I closed the damper and withdrew my arm to finish the work I had started on his hair. His face followed my hand and I gently smoothed back his hair while he did his best to not act like I'd done anything out of the ordinary.

He was panting when I took my cart back to where it belonged and began cleaning up all the supplies I'd taken out. I knew the guards were watching and I had to keep to the status quo even though I was anything but calm.

"That was the most divine thing I have tasted in centuries." He said into my mind.

"Glad you enjoyed it." I thought back knowing he would hear me.

His eyes were the size of saucers with disbelief when I turned back to him. I knew. Somehow, I just knew he had heard me.

"I heard you Sookie." He whispered his chilly thought into my mind.

"How?' I said out loud completely at a loss for anything more.

He just shook his head and stared at me. He cocked his eyebrow up and licked his lips. Then fixed his intense gaze on me.

"I wasn't aware your kind even existed on this plane anymore." He said a dazed tone to his voice and his eyes glazed over.

"What?" I asked shocked. "My kind? What does that mean?"

"I promise to tell you once we're free." He said clearly lost to my blood the Ari had been.

Before I could demand any answers from him the maintenance crew appeared in front of the window to his cell. I knew our time was up.

"Four days Eric, you have to be ready. I'll feed you every night until then." I told him quickly and quietly.

"Beautiful creature," He slurred. "I'll be ready. Tell him to bring them all, Bring them all."

I squeezed his hand as my heart nearly burst in my chest from his words. Why I had been afraid to hear his words last time escaped me. He cared for me in the same way I cared for him. It gave me wild satisfaction that he'd enjoyed my blood so much. He'd be ready, with my blood and his and Ari's cunning we'd get them out. What came next, it gave me chills to think about.


	6. Chapter 6

After leaving Eric's cell I made my way to the employee lounge. First, I needed to remove the used tap from my arm and dispose of it carefully. Second, I needed to eat and take my vitamins so that my blood supply would be replenished for tomorrow night and so that I wouldn't pass out while making my rounds. My head was still spinning from everything Eric had said to me. I was more than just a means to an end, he'd said he cared for me. The look on his face while he drank from me was also swimming around in my brain too. I wouldn't be forgetting that look of rapture anytime soon.

Then there was what he'd said about my kind being on this plane. Whatever supernatural thing I had in my family tree Eric knew what it was. What exactly the hell was I if Eric thought they weren't on this plane anymore? And what the hell could move between planes? Different planes…I was still trying to wrap my mind around that concept.

"Susanna." Lena trilled through the intercom of the longue, "I need to see you in the control center. Now."

I glanced at the clock, only an hour left on my shift. Lena was usually long gone by this time of the night. I got the creeping suspicion that whatever she wanted I wasn't going to be happy about it. I dumped my trash and quickly checked the bandage on my arm to make sure no blood had leaked through onto my shirt. I walked to the comm and let her know that I was on my way.

When I reached the control center there were four men I had never seen before sitting around the conference table with Lena. Each was well dressed in an expensive looking suit and each had on a matching ring on the right index finger. I normally wouldn't have noticed something that trivial, but the things were huge, clearly meant to be seen. They each had two files and appeared to be cataloging data, odd since that was part of each tech's responsibility.

"Gentlemen, this is Susanna. She has been instrumental with our latest batch of subjects. They seem to respond to her in a way that we have not seen before. Not only are they prepped to the limits of their diminished capacity, but they also speak with her." Lena said with that black viper's gleam in her eyes.

Oh god. Oh shit! This was not good. Not good at all. Red Flags were flying, and warning bells were ringing in my head. I put on my polite shy smile and nodded. If they thought I was different, if I could be tapped and used against vampires I was done for. I'd never leave here, and no one would ever hear from me again. All the men at the table nodded and their eyes were quietly and very intently appraising me.

"Why is it that the creatures respond to you Susanna? One of the men asked.

"I really am not sure. I would guess it's because I treat them with dignity and gentleness like a person would a wounded animal sir. I know they are damned, but my Gran always told me you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. I figured I'd be making my job easier if they weren't fighting me and trying to eat me all the time." I answered the half-truth half lie slid out coolly even though it tasted like acid on my tongue and I was as frantic as a squirrel in traffic on the inside. My palms were damp, and my mouth had gone bone dry.

All the men nodded and made notes about who knew what. I had to remain calm. Breath in and out, in and out. Keep a polite smile on your face and tell them whatever they need to hear to get the hell out of here. Lena was looking sour now. Whatever answer she'd been hoping for I hadn't given and that made me feel a bit relieved.

"It's your opinion then that if we were to treat the creatures more gently that we'd have a greater level of success in getting information from them without them feeling like it is an interrogation?" Another of the men asked.

Son of a Mother! I cursed myself for giving these nuts any other tactics to use against the helpless vampires. I had to keep going at this point, trying to turn back now would bite me in the ass. I had one card I could play still that I'd save for an emergency exit from this shit storm I was now standing in.

"Yes sir, I do. Despite what they are they still have some basic human like qualities. I have observed on a few occasions that if you chat them up, over time, they open up a little and tell you things. I think they just like having someone to talk with." I answered and tried not to cringe.

Again, a round of nods and note taking. Lena looked livid at this point but was trying damn hard to act like she wasn't. I could not figure out why. I felt like that why was important. The men were talking amongst themselves, debating some new strategy based on what I had said. I sat still as stone, made sure not fidget or let them see how damn nervous I was. Lena was watching me like a hawk. She was waiting for something. I could tell by the agitated way she tapped her finger against the arm of her chair, something I had come to know meant she was impatient.

"Lena." The first man at the table spoke again, "We have decided to try a new initiative. It will require a full re-staffing of one of the wings. Which doesn't matter. Specifically screen for people who lean towards Vampire rights but not die-hards. The new staff will build trust and kindness-based relations with the creatures in their care. We expect to see demonstrated results before our next quarterly meeting."

Oh, holy hell! What did I just do? It was damn clear that these men were way up this company's ladder. Lena was outright glaring at me. I got it now. The why that is. She had reported my contact with my vampires as an anomaly. She'd expected these men to enact punishment on me or fire me or whatever evil thing she had worked up in her mind. Instead they had taken my idea and run with it.

"Sir I am not sure that would be the most fruitful course of action. We've just developed a new cocktail we think will be…" Lena started to explain but the man raised his hand and silenced her. Shockingly it shut her up immediately.

"Susanna," the second man spoke, "What sort of information have the vampires given you?"

There it was, the question I had been waiting for. If I didn't give them something real, I knew my goose would be cooked. I wasn't going to sell out any of the still undead vampires but there was poor Chow. I knew so much about him from Ari. I'd tell them everything I knew about him and make his loss mean something for those that were still with us.

"The vampire who spoke to me most often is no longer with us. He was killed in an escape attempt. However, before he was killed, he told me his name, it was Chow. He told me he was 259 years undead. He spoke to me of his maker a few times although he never gave a name. He had never made any progeny and was regretting that decision, said he always imagined he'd have more time. Often, he spoke in a language I couldn't understand. He also told me about his job before he came here. Sometimes he just asked me to kill him." I answered and bit down hard on my cheek to keep myself from tearing up.

"How long had you been working with that vampire before his destruction?" asked one of the other men.

"Just over two months sir." I answered truthfully.

They took a few more notes and talked quickly amongst themselves again.

"Make this happen Lena, that's more than we'd gotten out of him in two and a half years. Stop all procedures for subjects on this wing for the rest of the week and then starting Monday they can resume once the new staff is in place, no experiments above a Level 3." the first man intoned seriously and then he turned to me.

"Susanna, thank you for your input. Since you have already begun this new process on this wing, I think it would be best to continue it here. We are cancelling the transfer of your subjects to Special Projects since this new technique has come to light. We expect to see great things from you Susanna. You may go"

I'd been dismissed, not planning to risk any other craziness arising tonight I nodded to him politely and high tailed it out of there. I made a quick stop into the longue to grab my things and hustled my way through security and out into the crisp pre-dawn air. I dropped into the driver's seat and slumped against the steering wheel. I felt relief that I was sparing my vampires anymore pain but damned myself for subjecting who knew how many others to the nastiest form of torture. They'd have hope only to be crushed when the house of cards the false friends they made turned on them. I left the parking lot feeling a sick mixture of guilt and happiness.

As soon as I was safely parked in front of my unit, I sent Ari a text, at some point that sneaky vampire put his number in my contacts. I was thankful for it since I had forgotten to ask, but reminded myself to give him hell for it later. I hit all the high points of my evening and the new information that had come to light. I also reported that the first blood infusion was a success.

A few minutes later my phone chirped. Ari sent me a winky face. A freaking winky face! That was honestly the most unexpected and unvampiric thing I could imagine. It fried my biscuits that he didn't send me some sort of message, the information and situation required more than a damned winky face. I was about to give him a piece of my mind when my phone chirped yet again. "Understood. Adjusting our plans. I'll leave you an update in your home tomorrow night." He followed it up with two more winky faces. I rolled my eyes to the heavens and despite myself and the circumstances I'd found myself burst out laughing.

I walked up the steps to my door and saw an envelope stuck in the jamb. I pulled it loose as I unlocked the door. After I dropped all my stuff on the couch, I took the letter with me into the kitchen to pour myself some iced tea. I sliced open the envelope with a kitchen knife and was not prepared for what I read.

 _Ms. Stackhouse,_

 _It has come to the attention of the wrong sort of people the kind of company you have been keeping. Our attempts to reach you have gone unanswered. Let's hope our letter does not go unheeded. You are being watched. Do be careful where you go with your new friends. It would be a shame to have such a loyal friend to our kind disappear._

 _Sincerely your friends at,_

 _The American Vampire League_

Son of a Bitch! Could this day possibly get anymore insane? I didn't even know the AVL was still a thing. From all I'd researched about vampires there was no mention of the organization anywhere other than it had disbanded after the culling. Now I was being watched by god knows who and the supposedly nonexistent AVL found it in their undead hearts to warn me. A headache was steadily building in my temples and I rubbed at them and my eyes furiously trying to relieve the tension. Then it hit me. That man who had visited the farmhouse that Jason had warned me was other, who I had yet to call back, was obviously some sort of representative for the AVL. Another text to Ari was going to be necessary. I quickly texted this new information and revelation to him. There were no winky faces this time.

"Cover your windows. I'll be there in five minutes." Was all he sent.

I could see the first rays of sun starting to break the horizon. I quickly undid the bolts on the front door then went and grabbed several comforters and quilts out of my armoire and got to work at covering all the windows in the living room and spare bedroom. I put two quilts over the picture window in the living room making sure they were secured to the rod and then two more over the blackout curtains in the guest room. Satisfied it would be enough to keep Ari from burning I rushed back to my kitchen and latched the shutters on my kitchen window. I had just stepped down off the stool when Ari burst through my front door steaming and pinker than I'd ever seen. I realized it wasn't from feeding but from where he'd started to burn.

"That was close." Was all he said in greeting.

"It's bad isn't it? It must be since you risked self-immolation to come here." I said as I strode to the wet bar next to the kitchen to get a stronger drink.

"You've done an excellent job light proofing Susanna." Ari drawled and winked at me.

"You are insufferable. Has anyone told you that?" I snipped.

"Often Susanna." That maddening grin of his lit his faced as he nodded his head proudly.

I shot him an obscene gesture as I took a sip of my well-portioned Gin and Tonic. His laugh bounced off the walls as he strolled about the now darkened first floor of my house. I guessed he was checking for any light or whatever vampires looked for in a secure day place.

"Your home is not bugged. I don't hear any electronic noise other than the typical stuff that is always in here. I noticed that you didn't light proof your room." He said mischievously.

"Well that's good to know. And I didn't bother light proofing it because you don't need to be in there. You arrogant beast." I hissed at him. The nerve. My hackles were up, and I was about to give him a solid dressing down, but he spoke before I could unload on him.

"Now that you're sufficiently distracted from being scared. How about we discuss all these new developments." He said waggling his eyebrows at me and plopped down onto my couch.

I stood there absolutely gob smacked. He was sitting on my couch reading the letter like he hadn't just riled me up to the point where I considered trying to kick his ass. I snapped out of my shock and joined him in the Livingroom on the couch opposite him. He sniffed the letter and envelope before putting it back on my coffee table.

"You plan on licking it as well?" I asked sassily.

He shot me a nasty look and rolled his eyes. I stifled a snort that was working its way into my face. He didn't miss that effort but chose to ignore me.

"It smells like vampires and the script is old, Victorian era. I do not recognize any of the scents on this letter, but I am inclined to believe it was written by and delivered by a vampire. No human scents are on the paper or envelope save for yours." He informed me.

"So is the AVL still around?" I inquired.

"Not so far as any of us are aware. Not in any formal capacity or ruling capacity. This is as surprising to me as it is concerning. When was the first time they contacted you or tried to?" He inquired.

I told him all about the vampire who had approached Jason out at the old farm house. I gave him the number that I'd been given to contact the man.

"I will call this number tomorrow night after I run a trace on it and see what I can find out. You need to be very careful until we find out who these vampires are and see if there is any truth to what they are saying about someone following you. I will have a few of my underlings keep an eye on yours and your brothers' homes to see if we can catch anyone in the act. If you'll allow it, I would like to remain here as your guest until after we complete our plans." He said.

"I knew it was bad. How the hell do they even know who my friends are?" I whispered as I rubbed at my temples the headache throbbing behind my eyes now.

"That concerns me greatly. Before we met or during the time, we met did you notice any other vampires in Merlotte's?" He said he brow furrowed in thought.

"The only vampires I encountered the times we met, there was only you and your three underlings. I'd know if there were others. My little quirk alerts me to the different about others." I said.

"I would have noticed other vampires as well. So, they either found you elsewhere or I have an interloper in my retinue." He said angrily.

"Jesus Christ Shepard of Judea." I said savagely rubbing my temples.

"I promise I will do everything I can to ensure that you are safe. What we are doing is dangerous. You know this Susanna. I'm just trying to find the best ways for us to move forward. Are you still on board? If you aren't, I will respect that." Ari said plaintively.

"No, I'm still in. You can stay and that all sounds fine. You're welcome to take the guest room for the week. I'm not gonna lie Ari this is freaking me out. They have dug into my life enough to find a link to me at a place that has never even been in my name. Not to mention that the high ups in the LODI organization now have their eyes on me and my boss is seriously pissed that whatever plan she'd intended for me blew up in her face." I told him tiredly.

The sun had been up for more than an hour and the events of the night were taking their toll on me. I was sore from my fall at work and nearly dead on my feet. Ari looked like hell too. A thin trail of blood was trickling from his nose and he tipped his head back onto the sofa wiping at it. I went to the wet bar and grabbed a fresh drink and a towel for Ari's bleeding nose.

"The bleeds. Perks of being undead after sun up. "he scoffed.

"Will you be ok? We can call it a night or day for now." I offered.

"I'll be fine Susanna, its merely an inconvenience. So, tell me how it went with Eric tonight." He said wiping at his face.

"It went smoothly. His reaction to my blood was about the same as yours, but he managed not to show it. I staged an accident and wrecked the listening device in his cell so I could tell him of our plans. He didn't object to any of it except for my familiarity with you. "I said.

"I told you so Susanna." Ari said laughing.

"If it makes you feel any better, I made his promise not to hurt or kill you." I said with a yawn.

"It does indeed. We both need rest. We'll be no use to each other or the others if we spread ourselves thin. To bed!" He ordered, pulling me up from the couch and gave me a push towards my room.

"So bossy. You're not wrong but so darn bossy." I snarked as I walked down the hall to my room and quickly slipped inside, closing the door to prevent any sunlight from burning him.

I lay in bed thinking, a thousand thoughts wove and undid themselves in my head. Eric would need a place to go after he was free. I would need to ask Ari if he had something lined up for everyone once we got them free or if I needed to keep Eric here. Would I be able to stay here after the jail break? I tried to keep working out details, but sleep tugged me away a few minutes later.

I slapped my alarm that afternoon several times before I got up to start my night. I walked out of my room to finish getting ready for work and found Ari sitting on the couch sipping a blood that he'd gotten from lord knew where.

"Isn't it a bit early for you to be roaming around?" I asked cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I'm old. Everyone knows old people don't sleep much." He answered in a sassy tone with his eyebrow cocked right back at me.

I shot him an obscene gesture and headed to the kitchen for coffee. I'd only managed a few hours of sleep and I had a whole night of clandestine activities to perform. While I waited for the coffee to perk, I set about the task of tapping my vein.

"What are you doing Susanna?" Ari asked from the barstool he was now perched on.

"I'm tapping my vein so I can feed Eric later. How else did you think I'd be feeding him? I certainly can't just let him bite me." I snapped.

"Very industrious and practical." He remarked impressed.

I felt bad for snapping at him but damnit I was stressed from all the revelations yesterday, a serious lack of sleep and not yet having my coffee. I rubbed my temples fighting off the headache that was building there. Three more nights, three more nights and all this would be passed. Then what? What would we do then?

"I'm sorry Ari. I'm just stressed out about so many things. Only three more days of pretending, then he'll be free or dead. We all will end up one or the other. Then what? What happens after? I hadn't thought that far before. Then there is the AVL, the LODI crazies and what's going to happen to all of them once they are free, to me, to you?" I was rambling.

I missed hitting my vein and swore. I didn't have time for mistakes like this. I didn't have the supplies for mistakes. I threw the tap into the trash and swore again. I was stronger than this. We had a plan and I needed to get my shit together but all these what ifs and maybes were driving me crazy.

Ari was at my side and was holding me while quiet angry tears spilled down my cheeks. I don't know when they started but I felt the first sob choke its way out of my throat as soon as Ari told me everything would be ok. He spent the next ten minutes telling me his plans for now, three days from now and the weeks following then. He had a plan, he had lots of different plans depending on about a hundred possibilities.

"Susanna. Trust me. I have a plan for every possible scenario I could imagine. Those that survive will be cared for and hidden and I will not leave you to the wolves so to speak." He assured me as I composed myself.

My coffee had started perking a few minutes ago and I went and rescued the pot before I burnt it beyond drinking. I poured myself a cup and doctored it to my taste. I took several sips and pulled myself together before I faced Ari again. I was embarrassed that I had just had a melt down in front of him.

"Do you know what I am Ari?" I baldly asked.

"One of the bravest females I have ever known." He said.

"Thank you but that isn't what I meant. Do you know what kind of creature that I am? Eric said he could taste what I was in my blood. He told me he didn't know my kind existed on this plane anymore. So, I ask you again. Do you know what I am?"

He stared at me like I'd grown both a second and third head. He inhaled deeply and dropped back into the barstool he had vacated earlier. He raked his hand through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose before his eyes met mine.

"I must admit that I did not recognize the taste in your blood. I had only had the exquisite pleasure of tasting what you are once when I was a newly turned vampire. Eric is older than I am by a couple hundred years. Your people were far more prevalent then, before the wars between our kinds. He's right though, none of us believed that any of your kind inhabited this plane any longer. You're not a pure blood, but your quarter blood is divine Susanna." Ari told me.

I sat there gob smacked and catching flies. He knew what the hell I was too! Something rare and powerful if it could war with vampires and survive.

"Have you known all this time what I am? What my people are? Why I am different among humans?" I asked quietly.

"Your kind can move between planes. They shift in and out of different realties. They have their own realm separate from this one. I was not aware that they had permitted a mixing of species, that sort of thing had always been forbidden according to my maker." He explained.

"Well what in the hell am I? Stop being so damn mysterious!" I shouted at him. He knew. I could see it in his eyes.

I couldn't stand not knowing a second longer. I was not human. None of my family totally was. We all possessed gifts ordinary humans didn't. We were different, exceptional freaks. They knew, both of them, probably a lot of them had met what ever it is that I am. I wanted to know right damn now. I had no intention of waiting until Eric was free and safe to tell me.

"Susanna" he started.

"No Ari. You tell me what the hell I am right damn now. I deserve and need to know." I insisted.

"Fuck! He's going to be so pissed at me. You're Fae Susanna. A faery. Don't mistake them for the being's humans have spun into sweet creatures. They are fierce, vicious creatures with a wide range of gifts. Formidable and territorial. Their blood is the most delicious and intoxicating know to vampire kind." He answered plainly.

"You knew then, after you tasted my blood?" I asked.

"Yes. It's why I left so quickly" He answered studying the wall behind me.

"Why?" I asked staring him down. I needed to know.

"The call of your blood is unbelievably strong. It was singing in my veins and bursting with life in my mouth. I didn't trust myself to be near you. You are my friend Susanna. I'd never forgive myself if I did anything to hurt you." He said shame coloring his words.

"So, I'm a faery?" I said sparing him any further discomfort over our exchange.

"Yes. A faery. I had heard Eric was acquainted with one, but rumors run in vampire circles like syphilis in a whore house." He answered.

"Gross Ari." I said and shot him my most disgusted look.

He laughed and went back to sipping his blood at my counter. I was a Faery. I was trying to imagine one the way Ari said they were but all I could envision was the ones from movies and stories and I wasn't terribly impressed. Eric knew one from what Ari said and Eric had hinted that he knew a lot about what I was. I guess I'd have to be patient until I could ask him more about it.

"You're going to be late. Best get to finishing your routine." Was all he said and walked back to his room.

I didn't have anything to say back my mind was speeding though the possibilities of what I really was and what I was fully capable of. What my family was capable of. Did my gran know what we were? Did she keep the truth from us to protect us? I needed more answers than I had access to. For now I had to get ready for my night. I pushed all my questions to the back of my mind and got back to getting my tap into a vein.

I was still thinking about all the new things Ari had told me and all the information I had found out last night when I arrived at work. I was nervous about what I was going to walk into tonight. Lena had been incredible pissed at me last night. I knew that afront wasn't going to go unanswered despite the higher ups demanding her compliance.

'd come to know over the last few months were still here among the living or undead. composed when her eyes landed on me. I ignored her and took report from the tech from the day shift. True to what the higher ups said my vampires were untouched. The day tech warned me that our patients were surly. I choked down my amusement. I was certain this was the first time since they had been incarcerated here that they hadn't been taxed to the limits of their immortality.

"Susanna," Lena seethed, "I need to speak with you."

"Of course, Lena. What can I do for you?' I asked politely.

Her barely concealed rage was simmering just under the controlled façade she put on for everyone. I knew she'd find a way to make me pay I just didn't know what form it'd take. I steeled my nerves and was ready for whatever she dished out.

"I do not know what kind of bullshit you're trying to pull here but I will not have these beasts treated like humans. The executives may see reason in your methods but all I see is a vampire sympathizer. I'll be watching. Follow your method because they are watching but I've got my eye on you." She hissed at me.

"I'm no sympathizer Lena. I'm just giving basic dignity to living beings, that's all. Watch all you like. You'll find nothing." I told her and the hate in her eyes nearly burned me to ash.

There was no way I could let this woman see an ounce of doubt in me. I'd say what ever was required to free Eric and the others. To hell with honesty, I'd lick my integrity later.

"Attend your subjects then." She said and turned and walked away.

I quickly left the control center not wanting to draw any more attention to this situation. I was fully focused on my patients and most especially Eric. I decided I'd move youngest to oldest tonight. I wondered what they had done with the two new vampires that were supposed to be added to my rotation since I now had two empty cells. I only had five vampires instead of seven. I was grateful though that the ones I had come to know over the last few months were still among the living or undead. It didn't matter what their status was to me. They needed my care and protection as far as I could extend it.

I keyed myself into Pam's cell. She was her usually pleasant self. She hissed at me from the second I walked into until I announced myself.

"Hello Susanna. Looking delicious." She purred at me.

"Not in the mood for your lesbian weirdness tonight Pam." I said as I gathered the supplies, I needed to care for her despite her nasty demeanor.

She laughed and leveled her most seductive look at me. I ignored her sassy look, she needed no encouragement. I filled basins with water to clean her up and traded the rat blood for human.

"Evening Pam. Lets make you pretty." I said with a wink.

She licked her lips in response. I rolled my eyes heavenwards. Lord she was gonna be a handful un damaged. It was refreshing to see her half herself and not destroyed by the tests these LODI assholes inflicted on my vampires.

"Can I credit my current state to your efforts?" She asked quietly.

"Yes." I answered just as quietly.

I was damn sure this would come at a price I had yet to estimate fully. I was just hoping that the bill wouldn't come due until after our little insurrection. I just winked at her. Her answering grin would have scared the devil himself.

"Eric?" She said.

"He's good. I sold myself to help all of you." I said into her ear.

"Was it worth the price?" She asked.

Damn all the words right to hell. I'd asked myself this question all night. It was. I was going to pay a huge price for Eric and all of them. I knew it. I was some other thing. I was Fae. I wasn't human despite the way I had lived my life. I was so angry at my Gran for not telling us and I felt bad about that. It didn't change anything. I'm other, they were other and us others had to stick together.

I'd never felt as other as I did now. I had no illusions that I was just a human with weird extras. I was a supernatural being. A powerful one if Ari was accurate in his assessment of my blood. Considering Eric's assessment of my lineage there wasn't an excusable doubt.

"It was." I answered.

She nodded as best she could with the bindings at her neck. I decided I was going to lessen those. I planned to with all my patients. I had access to the restraint systems the vampires were subdued with. I grabbed her hand and told her as much.

"You have to act like nothing is different." I whispered into her ear.

If she wasn't a vampire, she'd have never heard it, but I knew she had. She nodded to me. I grabbed a lesser level silver restraint. I pulled the heavy one off her neck and slipped the thinner one in. I could see the relief on her face. I'd finished cleaning her up. I dosed her with human blood and watched It work.

"Be well Pam." I said and set about putting away my supplies.

I made my way through the rest of my patients quickly. Feeding them human blood and lessening their silver restraints. None of them objected or fought me. They all just nodded to me with a look in their eyes that told me they understood what I was doing. I wasn't hissed at or snapped at. I was treated better by all of them than I ever had been. It made me wonder just how far and how much they could hear. I was greeted pleasantly, and they were still while I cleaned them, each speaking to me with random info that I was damn sure was fake judging by the looks on their faces.

Holy hell, I had a list of growing questions for Ari when I got home in the morning.

I took a quick break before going to see Eric. I felt stupid for being so damn nervous. That vampire was rapidly getting under my skin. I just hoped I was getting that far under his. I made a trip to the ladies and checked my tap after relieving myself. It was working perfectly. I gulped down a protein shake and a handful of vitamins. I fixed my hair and checked my make up like a besotted high school girl, then cursed myself for it. After I gave myself a solid talking to, I headed for Eric's cell.

I felt him feel me before I entered his cell. I felt him pushing against my mind and I dropped my shields. His mind slipped into mine and I felt that slithery chill with a hint of warmth I had come to associate with him.

"It's Susanna." I said as I did every time, I came to him.

"Good evening Susanna." He answered out loud.

In my head he curled his mind around mine. "Hello Sookie." Skittered inside my head. I suppressed the shiver that raced under my skin. A satisfied smirk curled his mouth and crinkled the corners of his eyes. This vampire would be the death of me.

I carried on my usual routine. I gathered supplies while his eyes burned into my back, my backside to be specific. I ignored the heat I felt on my skin.

"How are you tonight Eryn?" I asked carrying on with the rouse I had started.

"I am well." He said rolling his eyes.

I didn't dare say a word as the amusement I felt from him in my head was making me giddy. I had to lock my face and mind down some to keep it together. I scowled at him the corner of my mouth twitching.

"Let's get you cleaned up." I said and tried not to think about all of him I'd be putting my hands on.

He simply nodded his head but the thought and images he slid into my mind were not making the job of being clinical easy. I hissed through my teeth and pinched his side, which only succeeded in making him more entertained and aroused judging by the rise in his gown. Lord I needed deliverance!

He began talking to me about things he'd seen and done in his very long life. I knew all of it was for the benefit of the microphone above him. I answered him and asked questions. We carried on this way for the duration of my cleaning his person until I got to his face and hair. He knew what I was about to do and I could feel the anticipation in his body.

"Ready?" I whispered into his ear as I reached for the supplies on the bottom shelf of my cart.

A shivered ripped through him and I heard a deep vibration in his chest. That sent everything female in me into a damn frenzy. I poured the basin of warm water over his head and opened the tap as I began washing his hair.

His tongue curled around the tube and caressed my wrist as I fed him. His fingers dug into my hip as both of us acted like nothing was happening. His muscles flexed and contracted as a guttural purr erupted from him. I steeled my nerves and ignored the heat between my thighs. I managed to continue my ministrations for the 90 seconds I knew I could feed him without causing damage to my person.

When I pulled my wrist away after closing the tap his head tried to follow. All the heat I felt left my body then and I jumped backwards and scowled at him. Not because I wanted to, but the damn cameras and Lena were watching. I threw the cloth I was cleaning him with into his face for effect.

"Bastard." I hissed at him.

I could see he realized what he'd done and the sad look in his eyes told me what he'd do next was to protect me.

"Come closer." He said staring me right in my eyes.

"Your shit won't work on me vampire." I hissed at him and backed away like a sane person would. It broke my damn heart.

I felt him slide into my mind. Apology is what I felt from him and the word soon was resounding in my head. The next second security burst into his cell and shot him with silver tipped tasers. I felt his pain, his sadness and his yearning. I slipped from his cell before I had to witness what they would do to him.

The thing growing between us becoming an entity with a desire we could barely control. I had to talk to Ari. That vampire had answers I needed. I finished my shift with the rest of my patients without incident. I was not allowed back into Eric's cell.


	7. Chapter 7

I was sitting in the control center filling out a report about my incident with Eric. Lena was looking smug as she was on the phone detailing the incident to the higher ups. I was furious at myself, at Eric, at Lena, I was just outright furious. I down played the unfortunate events that had occurred in his cell as much as possible. I was also furious that they wouldn't allow me into his cell to fix whatever damage they had done to him after I'd been unceremoniously ordered to leave after they tasered him.

I hated having to act towards him in the way that I had but had I not I risked everything I had been working so hard to accomplish. I'd sent Ari a text from the ladies' room after the shit had hit the fan. I'd informed of what all had occurred, what happened before I was kicked out of Eric's cell and swore to him if he sent me a damn emoji that I would stake him in his sleep today. He opted to text me five lines of hahaha and then proceeded to talk me down from the panic I had been in.

He told me a silver taser would sting but not do very much damage and unless the company went back on their decision to not experiment on him that he'd be fine in an hour or so. That made me feel better, but I couldn't understand why they wouldn't let me back in his cell. They had guards at the end of the hall so that I couldn't even look into his cell. I knew damn well it wasn't for my peace of mind. Lena didn't give a tinkers' damn about my feelings or wellbeing.

I finished my report and made up my mind to advocate to get myself back into his cell, after I had finished my rounds with my other vampires. Not surprisingly all the vampires were agitated. Oh, they heard that whole shit show then. I needed to know just how much they could hear and how far. It could be useful to relay a message to just one and know they all heard it. I made a note to myself to get Vampire abilities the advanced edition from Ari in the morning. I left central control to make my final rounds before my shift ended.

I let myself into Pam's cell and she growled at me. I ignored her disdain and grabbed the supplies to feed her her last blood allotment for tonight. I didn't have enough human blood on my cart for all my vampires, so I mixed the rat with the human, I figured that was better than just animal.

"Hello Susanna." She said with a nasty tone.

"Good morning Pam. Time for breakfast." I answered trying to stem my temper.

It pissed me off beyond all reason that this damn woman could not appreciate the lengths I was going to, to try and make their lives more comfortable. I didn't know if she heard anything that I had barely whispered to Eric about breaking them out but damn it all a little gratitude wouldn't kill her.

"Are you an ally or not Susanna?" She hissed into my ear while I was setting up her feeding.

I shot her the nastiest look I could muster with a saccharine smile on my lips.

"The only damn one you've got Pam," I said annoyed. "If you think you've got better options feel free to pursue them."

Her entire body shivered all over and she hissed. I had just begun injecting her blood and I freaked out thinking the mix was bad. I started to with draw the syringe but she shook her head violently.

"I am…. Sorry." She gasped out the words.

"Are you ok?" I asked afraid I'd hurt her.

"I'm fine." She said contrite.

I was confused about her sudden change in demeanor. Never in all the months I'd been working with her had she ever once showed any kind of apology for her behavior. I didn't begrudge her the attitude. I'd be hostile if people had been hurting me for years too.

"He doesn't approve." She whispered to me.

I cocked an eyebrow at her confused. She slid her eyes in the direction of Eric. I outright stared at her then. He was communicating with her. Lord, my question list for Ari just got longer. I nodded to her and continued feeding her the blood I'd prepared.

"Be well Pam." I said after I finished her feeding.

"Be well Susanna." She replied while I put away the supplies.

When I entered my last patients' cell. He was alert and eyeing me. It was unnerving. He almost always ignored me. I'd tried talking to him for months with zero success.

"Susanna isn't it?" He asked while I was preparing his blood.

"It is. You care to tell me your name or shall I just continue calling you 405?" I questioned back.

I could see the conflict in his eyes. He wanted very much to talk to me and be recognized but he was also cautious, he didn't trust my intentions. I couldn't fault him that. He had rambled details about his life earlier but never made eye contact. He was following suit with my other vampires.

"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to." I said as I hooked up his feed.

"I'm a traitor," He said angrily." I sold out my own kind trying to save myself."

"People do things when they are scared. You shouldn't feel shame for trying to save yourself. Almost everyone one would I've found." I told him.

"They told me. What they'd do. They gave me enough rope to hang myself before they hunted me and put me in here," He snarled. "I have no road out. Even if I got free, they'll kill me.

"Sounds like quiet the cross to bear." I said not knowing what else to say.

"Bill," he said. "My name is Bill."

"Well Bill, I hope you find forgiveness." I said as I put away my supplies.

I tried to understand what he'd done. I tried to imagine what I'd do if I was put in his position. I was still pissed that he had sold out god knew how many vampires in this facility. I wondered if Eric and the others knew. I wondered how this would affect our escape plans. I added Bill to my list of questions to ask Ari.

I exited Bills cell and looked down the hall to see if the guards were still blocking my access to Eric, they were. That left me no other option than to approach Lena and insist that she let me tend to him. After all, I had orders and the blessing of the higher ups to try things my way. I was certain that if I threw that in her face it would do nothing but piss her off more. Her and her anger would just have to be damned. Pissing her off was probably not my best course of action. Ari told me to play it close to the vest and I knew I should, but I had plans, a mission and a vampire that needed all the extra blood I could get inside him so he would be ready in 2 days' time. So, despite all that, I decided taking a page out of Jason's' book was how I was going to play it. As he'd once so eloquently put it "you just need to find your lady balls."

I coached myself through what I was going to say as I walked back to central control, I filled my paperwork, steeled my nerves and approached Lena's desk. She looked up at me with her usual distaste and I stood taller. I would not be deterred.

"Lena, I need access to Eryn?" I told her firmly.

"Do you now. What ever for?" She asked.

"He was tasered. He will need to be seen to and if I don't get back to him it could damage the progress, I've made with him." I answered.

"Progress. He tried to attack you earlier. I'd hardly call that progress." She sneered.

"He is what he is Lena. It's in his nature to try and feed his malnourished body. He gave me plenty of information tonight, it's all in my report if you'd like to look." I said staring her right in the eyes.

Oh, she took that as a challenge. Her eyes narrowed to slits and she fixed that hateful gaze on me. She flipped through my report and seen the amount of information I'd gotten from him. I knew she had no valid argument when her eyebrows furrowed.

"He's been put on no contact. It's policy when an event like this takes place. You are aware of this." She said smiling.

"No contact measures are only in enacted when a subject makes contact with an employee. Eryn made no contact with me. He only tried to follow me as I moved away from him. His fangs being on display are of no matter. As I said, he is what he is." I said with absolute authority.

After I had made my first mistake not fully reading my contract when I hired on here, I didn't make that mistake again. I had read the policies and procedures packet front to back at least ten times. I made it a point o know the ins and outs of everything here the moment I decided I was going to free these vampires.

She sat there with a look of utter shock on her face before it turned to out and out rage. Well Sookie you have sure as hell found them lady balls and poked a very nasty bear. No turning back now.

"So, if you'd please inform the guards to move out of my way so that I can access my subject before my shift ends that'd be great." I continued digging myself in deeper.

"Fine," She hissed. "Make no mistake. When this goes bad, and it will. I'll be here to watch you fall."

A shudder ran down my spine. I nodded to her politely and got the hell out of there as fast as possible before my knees buckled. I briskly as possible made my way to the lady's room where I had a minor panic attack. It took me several minutes of deep breathing and focus to get my hands to stop shaking, for the cold sweat that was covering me to dry up, and to generally get calmed down. Jason would be proud; Ari would likely be furious with me for taking such a risk, and Eric I am certain was amused beyond all reason since I could feel him bubbling over with mirth in the back of my mind. I thought of every obscene gesture I could and a string of foul language. The amusement I felt from him just intensified. Damn vampire!

When I left the restroom, the guards were no longer in the hall. I keyed myself into Eric's cell. He didn't look any worse for what they'd done to him.

"Spectacular." He said by way of greeting.

I shot him a dirty look as I headed for the supply cart. His damn amusement ratcheted up another notch and he snickered. I wanted to just throttle him.

"Glad to see you're so chipper. Ready for breakfast?" I snipped.

His eyes turned hungry. His muscles flexed and relaxed. He wanted another taste of me for sure.

"This morning I have a lovely vintage for you." I said with flourish, "It's an August this year rat. Woodsy with a dumpster finish." I told him sarcastically.

All that humor he'd been cultivating disappeared and he growled at me. I barely concealed my amusement and choked down the laugh that was burning my cheeks with he effort to not let it out. Served him right, finding my distress entertaining. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed laying into Lena, she had that and so much more coming. However, appearances must be kept. I was friendly with my vampires, but I had to keep a line to keep me and them safe. It also felt good to rile him, he truly enjoyed pushing my buttons.

"Well get on with it then." He said coldly.

I had saved him a full feeding of human blood. An AB+ that I had found in the back of the cooler in the supply room. I hooked up his feeding tube and began injecting him with the rare blood. His eyes shot to mine. He could clearly tell it wasn't rat. I winked at him. His responding little smile made my night.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked when I'd emptied the syringe.

"Yes." Was all he said, but I could feel his gratefulness in my mind.

Two nights. Whispered in my head. The cold slithery feeling usually associated with vampire thoughts was much less than it had been previously. His thoughts had a warmer feeling to them tonight. I decided I'd think about that later. I squeezed his hand and turned to put away my cart before I left for the night. His fingers stroked my wrist as I moved away from him a content noise rumbled in his chest.

"Be well Eryn." I said as I left his cell.

I made a quick stop in the lounge to grab my things and headed for the exit. Lena was waiting for me. Son of a bitch!

"Did you repair relations with your subject?" She asked.

"Yes. He appreciated the gesture." I told her.

"So glad to hear it. I'd be a shame if you didn't produce the expected results." She said and walked back into the control center.

I didn't bother answering. There was nothing to say. I knew her comments were a threat. She was plotting, that I knew. I would have to be careful. I hoped my vampire would be ok, vampires, my vampires. I'd think about that little mental slip later too. Two more days, then they'd be free or dead. Either way they wouldn't be suffering anymore.

On the drive home I blasted the radio to drowned out the thoughts swimming around in my head. I needed a break from the intrigue, from my feeling for Eric, for his for me, from this plan, from everything. I was giving myself the ride home to tune out. Ari would be waiting, and we were about to have a long and detailed conversation.

When I arrived at my house 25 minutes later, I opened the door to find my home full of vampires and shifters of some sort. I counted 13, 9 vampires and 4 shifters. The vampires where all milling on the balcony since they hadn't been invited in and the shifters were seated at the couches. I made my way towards my wet bar; this was going to require a Gin and Tonic or three. Ari met me half way there with a fresh drink in hand. I look it and leveled him with a look that clearly asked what the hell was going on.

"We needed to meet to go over everything. I could exactly invite a huge group of supe's to a public venue. I'm sorry. I should have warned you ahead of time." He said contrite.

"Oh, and there is nothing suspicious about this," I said gesturing to a herd of vampires looking very out of place on my balcony. "I'm being watched, remember?"

Immediately 13 sets of eyes were trained on Ari and me. Well damn, I should have handled that better. I drained my drink and went to make another.

"Do they need invites?" I asked.

"It would be appreciated." One of the vampires from the balcony responded.

I eyed Ari looking for confirmation that it was safe. He nodded.

"Y'all are invited in. Please make yourselves at home." I said.

Ari got the meeting in order quickly since out guests had to leave before the sun rose which was only an hour or so from now. I was introduced to everyone. The shifters were Werewolves from the local pack. This group was going to be the team leaders for all the others that were going to participate in the rescue operation. They would relay these final plans to their underlings and pack members. Vampires from around the state were gathering just outside of Shreveport making a perimeter all around the city in safe house. The pack could move around at will since humans had no knowledge of them.

The meeting concluded fifteen minutes before sunrise and all the vampires hustled out the door and disappeared in a flash. Ari handed me a list of their names so that I could uninvite each one as a safety precaution. I was glad of that I didn't need random vampires showing up in my living room. The wolves all bid me a polite if gruff goodbye before loading up in an old pickup and heading off to where ever they lived.

I locked the door and began cleaning up all the glassware from hosting my guests. Ari stopped me and said he'd clean it up since he had brought them all here. He also brought me another Gin and Tonic which I was grateful for. I need a nice drink while I processed everything that had been planned and discussed this morning. Everything was set. The raid happened night after next. I was scared to death and excited beyond all reason.

"Did everything go alright after we spoke?" Ari asked while he washed up the dishes in the kitchen.

"You could say that." I answered vaguely.

"What exactly does that mean Susanna?' Ari said cautiously.

"I did exactly what you said not to and pissed off Lena so I could get back into Eric's cell. I used protocol against her so she couldn't argue with my logic. I had to know he was ok." I told him.

He raked his hands though his heard and let out a long-suffering sigh. He raised his head and fixed me with a look.

"Oh no sir. Don't you look at me that way." I warned.

"I told you he'd be fine. I told you not to get her angry. She has the power to disrupt everything Susanna. Why on earth would you risk all our plans when we are two days out?" He asked exasperated.

"I had to see him Ari. I had to now he was ok. I irritated him too if that makes you feel any better. There are only two days and she's under orders not to move or do any major damage to them. I had to feed him more blood. IF he's not strong enough, IF he doesn't get out." I said before I started I snapped my mouth shut to stifle the sob that wanted to get out.

"Susanna." He said taking my hand.

"I'm fine. This is going to work. He'll be fine, you'll be fine and as many as we can save will be fine." I said more to myself than him. I prayed I was right.

I got up and paced with my drink. I had all kinds of nervous energy buzzing under my skin and it was making me antsy.

"You're going to wear a hole in your carpet." He said with a smirk.

I launched a couch pillow at his face, which he caught, and then dropped his fangs at me. I grabbed a second pillow but before I could even raise my arm, he snatched it and returned to his seat.

"Only you would attempt to assault a vampire. Honestly Susanna." He said laughing.

I gave him the finger which only made him laugh harder. I plopped down on the couch opposite him.

"Why does this couch smell like dog?" I asked.

Ari tipped his head back and roared with laughter. I had no idea what he found so entertaining about my question.

"What is so damn funny." I demanded.

"Were's." He wheezed.

"Oh my god." I said embarrassed.

I was so glad that the pack members hadn't been here to hear me say that. I could feel my cheeks burning. I would remember that in the future to not mention dog smell in their company.

"I'm surprised you can smell it. Most humans cannot." He told me still trying to rein in his amusement.

"Well I'm not exactly all human now am I," I retorted. "If you're done, I have questions for you."

"I am, "he said still snickering as he headed into the kitchen, "Ask away."

"Just how far and through how much can y'all hear?" I asked my most pressing question first.

"It depends on the area. In the woods I can hear for about a mile away. In the city about a quarter mile. In that facility, not knowing what the walls are composed of I'd guess at least all over the wing on which they are kept. For instance, I can hear your neighbors fucking four units down." He said with a wink.

"Jesus Christ Ari, I didn't need to know that last bit," I said scandalized. "And what the hell are you cooking in there? It smells weird, like metal."

"Blood Susanna. I'm not planning on having my breakfast cold." He said plainly.

"Do you know a vampire traitor named Bill? "I asked.

He stopped his cup halfway to his mouth. His fangs ran down and he hissed. Ok, he clearly knew him, and Bill was likely right. He'd find no sanctuary with these vampires.

"He is in your facility? Is he one of your vampires?" Ari demanded.

"Yes, and yes. Although I didn't know any of that information until tonight. He has never spoken to me before and I always called him 405." I explained.

"Kill him." He hissed.

"I am not killing anyone Ari." I hissed right back.

"You cannot imagine the things the bastard did to our kind. He sold out hundreds of vampires in Louisiana. Lured them in with promises of safety, sent them to "safe houses" that were traps. He sold out his own progeny. That alone is an unforgivable crime. We hunted for him while we were being hunted. We hunted him until it was not longer safe for any of us and we had to run, hide, sleep in the dirt, half starved because he helped them Susanna. Helped them create the virus. He helped the zealots, fueled the hate for our kind. He damned his own species." Ari said livid.

So many emptions were playing across his face. I could barely keep track. Then he went unnaturally still the way only a vampire can.

"You know you may have to kill when this rescue happens don't you Susanna. You know that we are going to kill anyone who tries to stop us once the siege starts. There will be blood, ours and theirs. Don't fool yourself. IF we see him, he'll be captured and killed. It won't be fast. It'll will take a long time and he will suffer for everyone who he brought the true death to." He said angrily.

"I do know that I will kill if it means saving myself or any of you. I don't want to. It scares the shit out of me that I even think I can and would. I am very sorry for what he did to so many innocent vampires. I won't however just end a helpless creature, that would make me as bad as him. I won't be that person Ari." I said quietly.

He sat quietly after that and sipped his blood. I sat on my couch equally as quiet and thought about everything. I thought of all the plans that we'd made, going over them and committing them to memory. I thought about the answers to all the questions I asked and the answers to them. I thought about how tonight was going to be the last night before the siege. How at 4 am the night after tonight that the vampires would be free or dead. That everything was probably going to change for me after that. I thought until I was so tired, I could barely open my eyes. Ari hadn't moved an inch, he still sat across from me statue still.

"I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted," I said to him, "you should to, you're starting to get the bleeds."

"Good night Susanna." He said and headed to his room.

I'd headed to my room right after Ari. I went through my bed time routine and slid under my coverlet. I don't remember falling asleep, but I woke to the prickling feeling of being watched. I laid still as death as my telepathy immediately told me I was not alone in my room. I cracked one eye enough to survey my room and saw Ari perched like a damn bird on the end of my bed. My hands started to tingle in a way I had never experienced before, and a small burst of light shot off my fingers as I sat up in bed to defend myself.

"Well, well Susanna, look at your supe coming out." He said with a smirk.

"What in the hell was that?" I asked staring at my hand.

"A natural response for your kind to protect yourself from mine." He said non-plussed.

Even though I had just manifested some crazy shit from my hand I was furious at him for scaring me half to death. I leveled him with the most vicious look I could muster. I'd figure out what ever that new oddness was later.

"Jesus Christ Sheppard of Judea Ari! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" I shouted at him.

"I poked your foot four times; you sleep like the dead. I cannot stand anywhere but here due to the sunlight filling your room." He answered.

"Honestly, you couldn't just stand at the end of the bed. Perching on my footboard hardly seems necessary." I hissed back.

"What fun is there in being a vampire if you don't use your gifts to terrorize mortals." He said laughing maniacally.

"Bastard," I said and tried to kick him off his perch, "Why are you in my room staring at me while I sleep anyway?"

"I heard back from my contacts about the AVL. I wanted to tell you about it before you had to leave for work," He answered and hopped off my foot board, "I'll meet you in the kitchen."

I shot him an obscene gesture as he sauntered out my bedroom door laughing. I looked at my clock and realized I only had a half hour until my alarm was going to go off anyway. I didn't feel rested in the least, but I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the shower. That damn infuriating vampire could just sit and wait. While I showered, I mulled over the tingling and the light that had come from my hand. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Ari didn't seem shocked; he'd even seemed pleased. My life couldn't possibly get crazier. After I had that though I sent up a prayer that it wouldn't. I toweled off, dressed for work and inserted a tap into my left arm since the vein on my right arm was raw and useless from so many punctures before heading to the kitchen to interrogate Ari.

He was sitting at my counter sipping on a blood looking relaxed as always while I was a mass of tension and questions waiting to explode.

"What the hell did I just do in there?" I asked.

"From what I have researched about your kind it is a way to defend yourself from vampires and other supernatural creatures." He said.

"You researched what I am? Where you planning to tell me?" I asked annoyed.

"Yes, I researched what you are in the texts I have available to me. No, I wasn't going to say anything unless it became pertinent. To tell you things your kind is capable of without you being able to do any of those things would have only succeeded in frustrating you." He explained.

"Well clearly I have other things I didn't even know I could do so what else is there?" I questioned with curiosity burning in my chest.

"It depends on a variety of things. Each Fae clan has different gifts so knowing which you are from would be helpful. From what I have read those of mixed heritage can have 1 or many of the gifts depending on the strength of the spark or magic they are born with. Exposure to supernatural creatures seems to bring out the gifts more quickly. I also read that an assimilation occurs on or about the Fae's 25th year." He answered.

"Well that's helpful. I don't know what Clan I am from. I'm just now being exposed to the supernatural world, so I guess I'll just expect things to show up at random and hope for the best. I've had a few new things show up including the light show this morning and I just passed my 25th year." I said exasperated.

"What new things?" Ari asked intently.

"Well besides the light show I can communicate with Eric telepathically. I can feel the emotional state of any supernatural creature I am near, sense a lie from the truth, I can see y'all glow and by the intensity of that glow I can guess your age and physical state. I can tell a shifter from any other thing and there are things I have come across that I cannot begin to guess what they are. I hear humans' thoughts like a radio broadcast, and I smell things human cannot," I listed testily, "So, what about the AVL because I really need to think about something else besides whatever the hell I am and can do."

I ignored him in favor of making myself some coffee. He did me the service of not pushing for more information as he contemplated everything, I had just told him. I had the feeling he'd be doing more research from whatever texts he had squirreled away in his lair. I also had the distinct feeling that Eric knew way more than Ari and I wished like hell he could tell me.

"The AVL is still underground but they have been trying to reorganize during the last decade. I spoke to the vampire that tried to contact you and told him you were under the protection of Area 5, that's my area of Louisiana to oversee. He said they had been informed of your involvement with our kind by an outside source and wouldn't give further details. Their concern was with you exposing us to authorities. One of the Elders in their group scented you and they are aware of what you and your brother are. They intended to urge caution so as not to expose other super naturals since they could tell you were both untrained." He informed me.

"Great, well that's, just great!" I said as I paced about the kitchen.

"Susanna, please try not to over react. This could be helpful. If the AVL is invested in, you and your brother they could be a help to our cause. We will be cautious of course, but they did tell me freeing the vampires in custody of the Silver Domes was of importance for them. I didn't tell them anything of our plans because I will not jeopardize our objectives. After tonight we make our move, the vampires from my area and few other from the state plus a few Were packs are in place to free as many as we can." He told me calmly.

"It's just a lot to take in. I have all these new abilities popping up, all these new creatures who are aware of me and I don't even know or fully understand what I am." I told him upset.

"Let's just focus on the plan. It is solid and ready to go after tonight. We will attack and liberate as many vampires as possible at 4 am. I have plans for my plans. We have safe houses set up and ready for everyone we can get out," He assured me, " We will help you figure out what you are, what Clan you are from and how to deal with your abilities as the come up. Like I told you Eric has associations with the Fae and probably knows much more than I do."

I took a few calming breaths and digested what he'd said. Eric had told me he knew what I was and would tell me everything after he was free. I had to assume he kept it to himself for the risk of exposing me to the LODI zealots. I drank the rest of my coffee in silence and Ari let me be.

"Thank you." I said finally.

"You're welcome." He said with a wink.

"I better get going or I'll be late." I said and started to gather my things for work.

"Be safe Susanna." He said and headed back to his room.

I could hear him talking on the phone as I left my house. I still had things I needed to get done tonight to prepare my vampires for the insurrection we were going to stage the next night. I had made allocations of blood and planned to drop my vampires' restraints to the lowest possible level. I still had to figure out how Bill being in the facility was going to affect our plans and deal with what ever new abilities I might manifest between then and now. I was especially worried about what would happen when my life or that of my vampires was threatened during our escape, not to mention the aftermath.

When I walked onto my wing Lena was waiting. She handed me my vampires files and with a nasty smile told me that they'd be needing m attention.


	8. Chapter 8

I scanned the reports Lana handed me and she had found a way to hurt my vampires within the limits the big bosses had set out. Nothing invasive, just a chemical test, unspecified. Less than a level three. I felt ill and I knew she'd found a way to ruin everything I'd tried to establish. Wiped away any protection I'd found for them.

"You can see them in any order you like." She smiled that damn vipers smile.

She wanted me to fail, wanted the powers that were to burn me to ash. I hated her more in that moment than I ever had. Bitch!

I decided that going from youngest to oldest was my best course of action. I couldn't risk her knowing that Eric was important to me. Not when this was the last night I had to pretend. Tomorrow we raised hell. Broke a corrupt system. Exposed lies to the world. The Were's were bringing cameras. Live streaming this evil to the whole damn world. I blessed Youtubes platform. We were going to show as many as we could reach on the web the lies, they'd been fed. The injustice and brutality the LODI assholes were subjecting the vampires and anything they considered other to. There where others, things I knew what were and things I had no idea what were. I could hear them screaming in my mind now. Eric opened a door when he started speaking to me in my mind. The longer I spent in the company of surpernaturals the more I heard, and it was all suffering and pain.

"As you say." I said to her indifferent.

"You're one of them. I know it. If you're not you're a sympathizer." She said with nothing but malice.

I shot her a look of utter shock and total offense. "I have no idea what you're on about. I am not one of them or a sympathizer Lana. I'm just doing my job and looking for the easiest way to accomplish the goals set before me." I said unaffected by her hate.

It burned in my gut to say these things because I wanted to beat her black and blue. Why the hell couldn't she see them as they were. Persons not exactly alive but certainly alive. They had lives, people who cared for them and jobs. I shoved every bit of that damn anger into the pit of my stomach. Tonight, I was still one of them. I had to sell that horseshit because my life and theirs depended on it.

"The bloods low. It's been for over a week now. How am I supposed to recover them to serviceable standards?' I commented and felt sick.

"Is it? We got in a fresh supply this morning. Human and rat. The human had run out faster than expected. Do you know anything about that? She said nastily.

"I've no idea what you mean. I don't carry human cart." I told her and that lie was oily on my tongue, but I sold it.

"Someone is. I'll find out who, make no mistake about that." She informed me.

"I hope you do." I told her with the best muster of hate I could fain.

I was trying my damn best to hide the shit I was doing. Ari had a full-on fit all over me when he found out the risks, I had been taking to strengthen my vampires. I had another 24 hours before shit hit the fan and I was going to give every advantage I had at my disposal to my vampires.

Bill was going to be a damn problem. He seemed like an ok guy, but I didn't really know anything about him till last night. He seemed sorry for what he'd done, and I believed him. Vampires could be tricky assholes, but it'd be damn hard to slip a lie past my supe lie detector.

"I will. See to your subjects." She said coldly.

I nodded to her and headed out to Pam's cell. What I saw when I entered her cell had me livid. She had blood running from her ears and eyes. Only her supernatural senses told her I was there.

"Hello Pam." I said as I pulled the supplies to care for her.

I got no response other than her looking around the room in a frantic manner. I pulled the cart next to her and nothing other than blind looking. Son of a damn mother. They had blinded and deafened her. Mother help me. I grabbed her hand and she stiffened and hissed viciously. I leaned into her and let her scent me. Her body relaxed and she squeezed my hand back.

I had no human blood to give them tonight thanks to Lena, she'd noticed my appropriation of human blood. I thanked my stars she couldn't tie it to me. I'd been damn careful about my swiping of human blood rations. Eric was going to get less of me than he was used to. I had to fix Pam, she had to be ready too. I knew this vampire was important to Eric. Ari had explained maker childe bonds to me. I might kiss that damn vampire for all the useful information he'd given me.

I started cleaning Pam up and when I got to her hair and face, I opened the tap in my arm and gave her 15 seconds of part Fae blood. The change was immediate, and her reaction was hardly concealed. I held her head down with my free hand and whispered words of warning to her. She stilled almost immediately.

"Understood." She said half drunk.

"Are you well?" I asked quietly.

"Does he know? What the hell are you?" She asked so lowly I barely heard it.

"Something else, and he does." I answered in the most silent voice I could manage.

Her eyes were healing before I pulled away and I knew she could see the sincerity on my face. She winked at me in full Pam fashion. Her ears had stopped bleeding and her color had returned to normal.

"All of us but Bill." She said angry. "They took Eric first, after you left." She informed me.

"Oh god." I said appalled. "It's because of me. I shouldn't have challenged her."

"No." She said and grabbed my hand. "You fought for him. I'm grateful for that." She said weakly.

I looked at her and we had a moment, the kind where you meet eyes and have that wordless exchange. She dropped my hand and hissed at me. I was so shocked I jumped back. She looked at me with pleading eyes. I moved closer to her and slid the lightest silver restraint I had available to me into her neck restraint, I'd done the other restraints while cleaning her.

"They are tuned in." she said with total seriousness written on her face and as quietly as humanly hearable.

I shot her a smug smile and backed away. I knew she could hear things I couldn't and if they were actively listening to this cell, I had to be a cold bitch again. I hated it but I knew Pam knew it was necessary.

"I got a nice cold rat for you vampire." I said with all the hate I could dig out of myself.

She just looked blankly around her cell like I hadn't fixed what they'd done to her and hissed at the side of her gurney opposite me. I loaded up the rat blood into her feed line. She whipped her head in my direction and shot me wink before acting half mad.

"Fix him." She mouthed at me as I put away my supplies.

"Always." I mouthed back

I left her cell in a damn hurry without making it look that way. I went and tended 404 who I'd learned his name was Marcus. He was blinded and deafened as well. It only pissed me off more. I tended to his injuries as best I could without my blood to fix it. I'd make sure Lena paid for the evil she'd inflicted on my vampires. I hated her more than I ever had. She made it clear she thought I was one of them. That scared the holy hell out of me. She couldn't prove shit, but she suspected. I was terrified I'd end up a prisoner of the Silver Dome before I could take part in the insurrection that was coming in just less than 24 hours.

I keyed into Bill's cell and as Pam had said he was un maimed. He looked at me with mournful eyes.

"Told you I was a traitor." He said in greeting. "They let me be to make them hate me more."

"Good evening Bill" I answered.

I set about tending to him and setting up his rat ration. I knew who and what he was. Ari asked me to kill him. I wasn't going to; I knew what regret looked like. I'd seen on human faces and in their minds as well. This poor creature made a mistake based in fear. He sent his own progeny to death and god knew how many others. I knew how fear burrowed into a person; it was like a fierce cancer. It broke you and bent you to its will. Bill was just another victim of a nasty movement that hunted and preyed on the weak. The damn human scourge that had scraped the earth bare of anything it feared.

"I told you it was bad. They're going to kill me, aren't they?" He said with resignation.

"I know. It's bad, you're not wrong about that. Can you help us? Can you make it better for the ones we can save?" I asked him a hair above silent.

"I can. I will. I was here a few times before I became a prisoner. There is a way in without camera surveillance." He said just as quietly into to my ear as I cleaned him up. "I owe them that much."

"Thank you, Bill." I said as I finished up his current care schedule. "Details on my next round?"

He nodded resigned to the fate he knew was coming to him from the humans who'd imprisoned him despite what he'd done to help them capture so many vampires or from the vampires whom he had betrayed. There wasn't going to be a happy ending for him, he knew that, but he was trying to atone for the sins he'd committed against his own kind. I respected him for that.

"Be well Bill" I said as I exited his cell.

Despite what he'd done I wasn't going to kill hm even though I easily could. Ari and all the others could be pissed but I wasn't going to lower myself to kill a helpless person. Bill was going to help me get those I could out. He knew he wasn't ever leaving here. That was sad but he had made choices, taken actions that damned him beyond redemption. The vampires had their own laws and traditions that I wasn't going to interfere with.

It made me wonder about the race I descended from, what traditions and laws did I know nothing about? Would I ever meet one of my own kind? Were there any of them left on this plane? Were there any other quarter or half or pure bloods like myself? I had so many damn questions that Ari didn't have answers to but said Eric might. Could he direct me to my own kind? I wasn't human, not entirely. I had spent my whole life thinking I was but with extras. Turns out I'm less human than Fae, I have the spark. I have powers people talk about when they wish the were a super. I wished I wasn't. I wished I was. I was so confused and angry at my Gran for not telling us what the hell we were when she so clearly knew. I didn't see it then, but I did now with startling clarity.

I slogged through my next two patients, both blind and deaf. Lena was trying to squash any success I might have had were I planning to follow the plan I had told the suits I was going to. I hated that damn woman. Gran told us we shouldn't hate because it was to strong of an emotion to waste on the people who made us mad. I fully hated this evil bitch, sorry Gran. My list of people I hated was limited to two before I met Lena. I looked forward to the comeuppance she had coming to her.

I decided to have my lunch before I went to see Eric. I just knew he was going to be maimed like the others and that lit a damn fire in me that made me want to hurt those who hurt him. The way I cared for this man, vampire scared the hell out of me, but also thrilled me. I could see the desire and want in his eyes when I was with him. I'd moved passed the idea that I was a means to an end for him. I understood he cared for me and enjoyed the company we had shared over the last months. We weren't in love, but we were damn sure in like with each other.

Lena was talking to the other Tech's on my wing. They all looked disgustingly pleased with the outcome of the hell they had managed to work on the vampires outside the control of the suits. It pissed me off in a real way. I was seriously heated. I wanted them to know what it was to be helpless and hurt, then I felt bad for thinking that.

I was in a shit spot. I wanted my vampires to be free, unhurt and safe, but I also didn't want the people I worked with to be hurt or killed. Lena being the damn exception, I'd pray for deliverance from that later. I cleaned up my lunch and stowed my things back in my locker. I took my vitamins to the lady's room with me and downed then in the privacy of the bathroom. I checked my tap since I fed Pam earlier, I need to make sure it was still viable. Eric had to be at 100% by tomorrow at 4 am. He was their leader, no matter what happened they'd all follow his lead, even Ari. He'd made that damn clear when we spoke before work.

As far as Ari and the other vampires who'd appeared at my house the night before were concerned, I was Eric's. They looked at me in a way that made me feel responsible for them and also made me feel uncomfortable with the position they assigned me. I didn't lie to myself; I barely knew Eric. I was drawn to him and he made it clear he had a connection to me. I'd never been able to speak with another being mind to mind. We had something special between us, but what it amounted to once he was free was left to be seen.

I was his caretaker and he my patient. We'd just have to see where it went when we were on level ground. If Ari told me I was Eric's and he was mine just one more time I'd punch him in his smug fangy face. I hoped Eric kept his promise not to hurt or kill Ari because that damn smug vampire had helped me more than I had words to express.

I was about to leave my stall when two of the techs from my wing came in chatting about plans, they had heard from day shift and I decided to sit in and listen. I wasn't friendly with anyone from day shift so all I got was the information pertinent to my patients. What I heard had me seeing red. Lena had informed her day staff to have the chemical tests repeated every other hour during the day. That explained why there had been so little healing on the vampires, no sooner had their weakened bodies tried to begin healing the damage they'd been taken back and had the blinding and deafening procedures repeated with various corrosive chemicals.

What I heard next nearly stopped my heart. They were talking about the individual meets each night shift member had had with Lena tonight. Everyone except me. They were all told to keep an eye on what I was up to during my shift. To observe me with my vampires if possible, to report if I entered the cold storage where the human blood was kept. I knew that I was going to need to extra vigilant tonight and tomorrow night until the rescue mission took place. I wouldn't be taking any unnecessary risks.

Once the two women had left the bathroom I exited as well after a bit of time had passed. I didn't want to risk them still being in the lounge and realize I had heard everything they'd said. I considered telling Ari what Bill had said he knew but I wasn't sure how to handle that yet. I didn't know if I should trust it or if Bill was working with Lena. I damn well knew that Ari wouldn't trust it. I felt like Bill was being honest with me though. I didn't get that vibe off him that I get when I was being lied to. I decided that if I could I'd ask Eric and see what he thought.

I keyed into his cell and just like the other his eyes and ears where leaking blood. I could feel him feel me as I entered and felt his mind slip into mine.

"Hello Sookie" He said in my mind, the warm but slightly chilled feeling of his thoughts curled in my head.

"Good evening Eryn. Let's get you put back together." I said out loud.

He nodded his head. He could hear me which meant the effects of the treatments hadn't affected his as greatly as the others, likely due to the large amount of my blood I'd been giving him this week. I got to work getting the supplies, rat blood and lesser restraints prepped while I thought to him as hard as I could.

"Bill says he knows a way in without cameras. Should I trust him?" I asked.

"He's been speaking out loud in code which to anyone else would sound like the ravings of the mad. He's been speaking to me. I believe that he wants to help even though he knows he'll likely be killed. You can trust what he says to you." He sent back.

I just nodded and went about the tasks that I needed to perform. I caught out of the corner of my eye one of the women from the bathroom trying to casually watch me from a reporting station across from Eric's cell.

"They are watching me. They suspect that I'm other or a sympathizer." I thought to him angry and a little scared.

He growled at hearing that. "Will you be safe to be here? If not, I want you to leave. Go to Aurelias and tell him you need to be protected and why. I won't risk you. I am guessing by now all plans have been made and things are in motion." He said firmly.

"I am safe for now. I am listening in on all of them since I found out. First sign of trouble and I'll leave. I promise. All the plans have been made and the vampires and Were's are already getting in position. They attack at 4 am tomorrow night." I sent back to him and he winked at me.

"I'm going to clean up your hair and face now. Don't try and eat me tonight." I said sternly out loud.

"Ill try and resist." He said sarcastically.

The amusement I felt from him nearly had me laughing, the lust I felt from him almost buckled my knees. I shot him a look that said behave. I didn't want a repeat of last night. I didn't want them hurting him anymore. I didn't want to have another show down with Lena and I sure as hell didn't want to poke that evil bear any more than necessary for me and my vampires' sakes.

"They'll come in her and zap you again if you do, so I suggest you don't." I warned him.

"I'll consider myself warned." He said coldly.

I started washing his hair and he started that low purring growl in his chest. Utter satisfaction is what I felt from him and he looked serene. I carefully opened the tap and began to feed him. The rumbling in his chest intensified. After 75 seconds I closed the tap and moved my arm away. He didn't follow but he had a questioning look in his eyes.

"Sorry you don't get as much tonight. Pam was in a real bad way, so I gave that 15 seconds to her to give her strength and heal her." I thought to him.

"Thank you." He thought back "I don't intend to share you with her or anyone else once we are free from here."

The possessiveness of that though came through loud and clear. I smirked at him "Still pissed I fed Ari, once are you?" I thought to him amused.

He only growled and shot me a fiercely cold look. I winked at him which only seemed to infuriate him, but he didn't say anything about it. I changed out his restraints and hooked up his rats' blood.

"That stuff is truly distasteful Susanna." He said out loud.

"It's the best you'll get. You should be happy to have something. Would it help if I warmed it first?" I asked him.

I hated talking to him this way. I could tell he hated acting like a cold bastard towards me but we both knew the risks if Lena got any wind at all of something being off. At the same time, I had to also seem friendly so it looked like I was working toward the goals I had promised the suits I would. It wouldn't be long until we could both say anything, we felt like to each other. I looked forward to that time. I sent up a silent pray that we'd get that chance.

"No. Vermin is still vermin. Warm or cold won't make a difference." He said.

He talked about missing hunting. He talked about missing running or walking or sitting for that matter. I knew he truly meant those things too. He was being open because of the plan but also because he just wanted me to know. He talked about how he found his job before incarceration tedious and boring but how he'd be quite happy to be doing that again. He asked me how it had been outside when I'd arrived at work tonight. What it sounded like and smelled like, how the air felt. I told him in as much detail as possible. Then almost to himself he wondered out loud if his sister was still alive.

"I know that she is gone. They are listening so that's for them. Ask me her name so they have something to keep them busy for a while." He thought to me.

"You have a sister? What is her name? Maybe I could try and find out for you." I asked him aloud.

"I do. Younger than myself. Her name is Nora Gainesborough. I hadn't seen her in a few decades. Last I knew she was in Nevada. I wonder if she made it or is, she in a place like this." He told me.

"I'll see what I can do Eryn." I said and patted his shoulder. "Be well." I said as I headed out of his cell.

I walked straight to the control center to tell Lena what I had learned. I hoped this would get her of my back. Give her a new vampire to hunt down and something to report to the suits. As I passed Bills cell he was ranting like a mad man. I guess that's what Eric had been talking about. I guessed he was communicating with Eric again. I'd report that I was also concerned that 405 might be losing his mind as well. Some people couldn't handle isolation, it was a proven fact that it could in fact make a person crazy, not to mention torture had the same devastating effect on the mind.

Lena looked up when I approached her desk. She didn't look very pleased to see me there. I couldn't say I was very pleased to have to be there either, but I had to try and cool off the growing danger to myself.

"Eryn gave me a name. He has a sister. Younger than him. Her name is Nora Gainesborough, last known whereabouts Nevada." I informed her dutifully.

"Why would he tell you that?" She asked suspicious.

"He was talking more to himself than me. He'd been talking about things he missed. I asked and he answered." I said.

"I cannot understand why it is they all talk to you. Surely kindness among their kind cannot be that coveted." She said nastily.

"When you've been locked up and alone for a long time any kindness is probably appreciated. There are many studies on isolation and its effects on the psyche. They have been experimented on and showed nothing but hate and disgust. Sometimes a change in treatment can provoke a response in prisoners. I've done my research." I answered clinically. "I'm also concerned that 405, Bill has begun to lose his mind. He is ranting utter nonsense and is only lucid about half the time when I've seen him this week."

She made some notes and entered the information I'd given her into the vampire database that they had. She made a gleeful noise and looked up to me.

"That information checks out. Nora is in the data base and it says unaccounted for. Thank you for the information." She said.

I knew that was a dismissal. I took my charts and headed to a reporting station to chart everything I'd done with my vampires so far this shift. I ate a snack to keep up my strength. I was starting to feel the effects of donating so much blood in such a short span of time. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to feed Eric again tomorrow night. I was a little light headed and felt drained. I doubled up on my red meat intake and dark greens, it was good for boosting hemoglobin and I started drink a lot of orange juice to help with iron absorption.

If I was fully human, there is no way I'd still be standing. Ari told me my kind had a vastly different physiology and was likely the only reason I wasn't in the hospital for severe anemia. The only cure for my weakened state he said would be a decent sized infusion of vampire blood. I out right told him I was not going to drink his blood. He outright told me he wasn't offering because promise or not Eric would kill him.

I finished my reports and went to take a break before I started the last of my rounds for this shift. I sent Ari a text about what Bill had told me and that Eric said we could trust the intel. I informed him that Bill would give me the location and the way to access it when I tended him next. He didn't like the source, but he wasn't going to argue when Eric had said it was good. He told me that they'd adjust the attack plan once I had the needed information.

I went to start my rounds when Lena approached me in the hallway. My pulse took off. This woman scared the shit out of me as much as she pissed me off. I didn't like being the center of her attention.

"Susanna, we checked on the state of 405 and you are correct he is starting to come unhinged. We'd like you to talk to him and see if he has anything else useful to give up before we have him sent out to special projects. The powers that be don't feel wasting your technique is warranted on a mad vampire." She informed me.

A huge pit of dread opened in my chest. Bill wasn't truly mad. He'd condemned himself trying to communicate with Eric. I wondered if perhaps he'd planned it this way. To be put out of his misery rather than face the justice of his own kind which from what Ari said would be long, painful and ultimately end in his true death.

"Of course, Lena. I'll see what I can do." I said.

"See to that first. We are arranging transfer for the morning." She told me.

I felt sadness for Bill. He'd done a terrible thing, but he was trying to make up for it. I headed for his cell and hoped he'd give me the enough to satisfy the desires of the LODI assholes. I hoped he found peace in whatever came next. I hoped I gave him peace in our final encounter. I keyed myself into his cell and he stopped ranting as I entered.

"Hello Bill. How are you feeling tonight?" I asked calmly.

His eyes locked with mine and I saw the resignation there. I knew he had heard everything we'd said in the hallway. Along with resignation there was a determination as well. He smiled at me and nodded.

"I'm well Susanna. I see 25 stars and they're falling. I can move unseen in the halls of nowhere. It's been 65 suns since the world stopped. Stopped and started again. It can start again can't it?' He said staring at nothing on the wall behind us.

"Yes Bill, the world always starts again." I told him. "Do you have anyone you'd like me to notify when you leave it?"

"The she demon. The thing who damned me. Tell her. I found the back door. I found the way to be free." He said.

"Who is she?" I questioned.

"Lorena. Lorena Krasiki. You can find her in the Kingdom of Mississippi." He told me angrily. "Tell her I hope she burns."

"She is your maker?" I asked.

"Yes. She found me in the docks where what's left of the ships come and go. I was on my way home. She took everything that meant anything to me. Tell her I hope she burns." He repeated.

"If I can locate her, I'll tell her what you've said." I told him sadly.

His eyes met mine and I knew then. He'd done all this to free himself from what he'd receive from his own kind for the sins he'd committed. I took his hand in my own and blood pooled in his eyes.

"Thank you." He said appreciatively. "For hearing my confession. For being Kind."

"You're welcome." I said and squeezed his hand. "Let's get you fed, ok"

"I had the keys to a kingdom. The key is what broke it." He said absently.

"It's alright Bill. Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever." I told him. I don't know why I suddenly remembered that. My Gran had often told us that after anything bad had come to us.

He only nodded and receded inside himself as I hooked up hid feed. I knew that everything he'd said had been code. The numbers where likely the code to the keypad from the back door. Every door here had a keypad. The docks he'd mentioned could be the boondocks and likely the door by the service docks. When he said he could move unseen in the halls of nowhere I assumed that it was the Human Security Squads secret hallways. I'd confirm with Eric when I got to his cell before I left tonight. He'd given up his maker a woman he clearly hated. I hoped that she got what she had coming because what I felt from Bill when he spoke of her left me no love for the woman.

"You are a light in a very dark world Susanna. Protect it." He said cryptically as I headed out of his cell.

"Be well Bill" I said sadly.

Lena was waiting. I knew she would be; she wasn't going to miss a thing that happened in that cell. I hated her a little more in that moment. My heart broke for Bill, but I knew that'd he'd given everything he had promised.

"He gave his makers name. The rest I have no idea what he was talking about." I told her.

"That's helpful. I'll verify the information." She said pleased.

I felt angry and sad. I still was afraid that at any moment the whole charade I'd been keeping up for months might come crashing down. I just wanted to talk with Eric, to have him tell me we had what we needed, to tell me things were going to work out. I wanted to leave this place and never come back. I was sick of being in the company of darkness and hate. I wanted to know what the hell Bill had meant by having the keys to a kingdom and the key is what broke it.

I went to each of my patients utterly distracted. I talked with them and gave them the care I could. None of them spoke. It was as if they were all in mourning and maybe they were. Maybe they understood and appreciated the sacrifice Bill was making. I hoped they could give him forgiveness in his last moments. I knew whatever was going to happen to him at special projects would probably be unpleasant but more humane than what he'd have got from his own kind.

I finally made my way to Eric's cell and I was on pins and needles wanting to hear from him the confirmation I need to give Ari. That Bill ad given us a way in that would give us the advantage. That the odds of us successfully rescuing as many vampires as possible had gone up. I needed a win right now.

"Hello Susanna." He said when I enter his cell. "Come to feed me more vermin?"

"Hello Eryn. Yes, I have. It's that time of night." I answered frankly.

His eyes met mine and I knew he could see the questions and the sadness there. I felt his compassion and his determination. I could also tell he was pleased and optimistic. That made me fell a hell of a lot better than I had in the last couple of hours.

"The code to the door is 2565. The door is to the left of the docks. The door has a falling star on it. The passage it leads to is unseen and we'll be able to move about freely." He said into my mind.

I could have wept. Bill gave us a way in and out. He fulfilled the promise he'd made. Eric could sense what I was feeling and sent a warm burst of comfort to wrap around my mind.

"He damned us and has now saved us. He earned forgiveness in his last moments. The keys to the kingdom he spoke of was a vampire database he created for a foolish Queen. He gave it to them when they found him to barter his freedom. It's how they found so many of us and our makers and progeny." He sent to me.

I only nodded and went about the task of feeding him before I left.

"They'll come for him during the day. Take him to his end. I'll tell Ari the information and after tomorrow you'll be free. So many will be free. I'm glad I could help all of you." I sent back

"Why do I feel like you're saying goodbye Sookie?" He asked with a hint of sadness to his thoughts.

"Because I am. Tomorrow you'll be free and on the run. I have no idea what will become of all of us. I want you to know that I have enjoyed our time together and I wish you all the best Eric. Live well and be safe." I sent to him my heart breaking.

"Stop it. I will not leave you behind. You are mine Sookie." He sent to me fiercely.

I nearly choked on the emotion I felt and the emotion I felt from him. I took a deep and steadying breath and squeezed his hand. My head was swimming from my blood letting this week and the mental strain of everything that was happening.

"You need blood. I can feel it. You've given me to much." He thought to me.

"Ari said the same but refused to offer because of you. I'll be fine Eric, just need some sleep and more meat and orange juice." I told him.

"I'll not take from you tomorrow so don't try to feed me. I'm strong enough and as soon as I'm out of these restraints which I can break easily, I'll feed. Then I am going to return the favor you've done me." He said vehemently.

I sent him a watery smile. Exhaustion was riding me hard. I finished his feed and began packing away all my supplies.

"Until tomorrow. Until we are walking under free skies. Be strong Eric." I sent him.

"Thank you for the vermin." He said aloud.

"Be well Eryn." I answered.

I walked to my car dead tired. I texted Ari as I went with the code and the doors location. I told him I'd fill him in on all the details tomorrow after I slept. He said he wouldn't be home until just before sunrise since he was adjusting the plan and seeing to all the last-minute details. I drove home on auto pilot and when I got to my room, I fell immediately asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

I woke up just after 4 in the afternoon. I felt a lot better today than I had last night. I was carried to the kitchen by the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Ari was sitting at the counter drinking a blood. I got to work doctoring up a cup of coffee and sat down next to him. He turned and was about to start speaking, I held up a hand

"Not until after this coffee is in me." I warned.

He laughed and nodded. He started texting at an insanely fast pace. His phone was chiming every few minutes while I had my coffee. He kept working on his phone and let me have that few minutes of peace before we got down to business. He was going to fill me in on all the final details. It was happening tonight. Tonight, they'd be free. I started thinking about what that meant for me and for them and the nerves I'd been trying to ignore roared to life in my chest like a flock of angry butterflies.

Every time Ari's phone went off, I knew it was someone from the rescue party checking in, confirming positions and asking any last-minute questions. I got up and started pacing. I carried my cup to the sink and rinsed it out before putting it on the rack to dry. I decided that'd I'd shower and get ready before I got the details. I walked back into my room and pulled all my things together. I got in the shower and let the hot water pound the tension out of my muscles.

Knowing what was coming tonight I decided to wear my navy-blue scrubs and a black long sleeve under it. If I had to run or hide, I didn't want to stand out in light colors. I pulled my hair back into a tight bun, years of living in a small town and watching cat fights I knew loose hair could bite you in the ass. I put on a good pair of trainers in place of my usual work shoes. I was going in as prepared as possible. I threw some mace in my purse and a small pocket knife just in case. Time to go talk to Ari and find out everything I needed to know.

First, I told him all about the situation with Bill and how that whole thing had played out as promised. He sat quietly and listened to everything I said. He didn't say anything, but I thought felt respect tinged with anger from him. My abilities were getting stronger.

"Alright. I'm ready now. Hit me with the plan." I said as I entered the kitchen for another cup of coffee and some breakfast.

"Good choice in clothing. I had plan to tell you dark colors. We are all in place to hit the facility at 4. The Were's scouted the door you found out about and it is viable. We watch someone go in and they code I correct; this is where the vampire force will enter. Those halls should give us unmonitored access to every wing in the building without us being noticed. All of the vampires will be wearing scrubs with faked ID's so that when they come out from the halls they'll try to blend in until they can neutralize the employees and take control of each control center on each wing." He explained.

"Once we radio out to the Were force that we are in control they will come in through the employee entrance and gain control of the central command center. If we hit resistance and cannot take each control pod the Were's will storm that entrance anyway and take control by force."

"Ok that sounds like a sloid plan. Once you get to the control pods, you'll need to disable the anti-vampire escape protocol. If someone trips that button the whole place goes into lock down. The second control panel marked EP-2 has a button to disable the systems in case of emergency. Switch it from engaged to emergency. That same control panel has a release all button, it'll unlock all the cells. Every control pod has its own so each team will need to do this." I told him. I'd been doing some spying and research about facility protocols while I was on my breaks.

"That is good information to have. Thank you" He said and started typing at light speed into his phone.

"When the shit hits the fan Susanna and it's going to. Those vampires are starved and anything human is going to be on the menu. You need to get the hell out of there immediately. I have assigned two of my underlings that you met at Merlotte's to escort you out as soon as we have control. You know who I am speaking about?" He asked.

I nodded that I did, I didn't trust my voice not to shake. The swarm of butterflies got bigger and I had to take a few good deep breathes to calm my nerves.

"If things go bad. If we meet resistance you are to get to me, Pam or Eric. Do not go near any other vampire they are starving and will only see you as food no matter the kindness you've shown them. I have a bag of silver jewelry for you. Wear it and use it if it comes to that. I'd ask you to say you're sick and leave around 3 but I know you won't" He said.

"Absolutely not. Don't try to shut me out of this. I've been in it since day one. I'm as much a part of this as you are." I told him firmly.

"After you do this Susanna, you are one of us. Your life as you've known it will be over. You won't be able to come back here. You won't be able to contact anyone you know. Once they figure out you are involved, they'll hunt you to the ends of the earth just like us. Are you ready for that? If you're not you need to leave that facility before we get there." He said deadly serious.

As I stood there letting what he'd just said sink in, I felt it. That weird burning and tingling sensation coursing through my veins. Except this time, it was stronger. My hands started to glow with that white blue light that I had shot at Ari. Something inside me had woken up. My senses heightened, my vision became shockingly vivid and my hearing sharpened.

He got off his stool and was slowly backing away from me, hands up in a gesture meant to let me know he wasn't a threat.

"Breath Susanna, you need to breath. Get control of it." He said calmly. "You own that power it doesn't own you."

I burrowed into the source of that light, that feeling, and I grabbed it tightly. The light in my hands dimmed and then died. The world returned to the way it had been before. My body was still humming with energy and drew in long deep breaths while I explored the place that power resided. Now I knew where it was and probed at it to see if I could access it at will. When I willed up that light it immediately returned brighter than before.

"You're more Fae than I had guessed." He said impressed. "Use that if you need it. It's meant to protect you against us."

"I will. I have never had this happen before. I found where it lives and now, I know how to get to it when I need it. Lord knows if I can use it to any good effect, but I'll try." I told him.

"Just follow your instincts. They'll guide you." He assured me. "It won't be long Susanna until you come fully into what you are."

"Call me Sookie. It's what my family and friends call me. I know what I am risking. I know everything is going to change for me after this. I've been packing and moving things I don't want destroyed to a storage unit in my grans name. I've emptied out my bank accounts and tied up my loose ends. Where y'all go I go. If you want me too that is?" I asked cautiously.

"You will always have a place with me Sookie. Eric will claim you, if he hasn't said so he will. He will keep you safe. If anything, ever happens to him know you will always have a place with me. You are the first true friend I have had in a long time. I will never forget what you are doing for my kind." He said sincerely.

I wiped at the tears that slid down my cheeks and smiled at him thankfully. "Thank you, Ari." I whispered as I collected myself.

"You're welcome Sookie. Better get a move on so you're not late for work." He said and jerked his thumb towards the door. "I'll see you at 4."

"Bossy damn vampire." I said sassily. "I'll message you if anything changes."

I pulled up to VPO and everything was as normal as any other night. I didn't expect it to be different but just knowing what was coming tonight had me imagining every possible thing that could go wrong. I put on the silver jewelry that Ari had given me and made my way onto my wing without issue. Lena called me over as soon as I walked into the control pod. I took a breath and told myself that this was her usual routine and to relax.

"Susanna, the information you provided last night was very helpful. We located 405's maker just after sunset. He was transferred out early the afternoon, so you won't be able to get anything else from him, but we'd like you to try with 406." She said to me in the most pleasant voice I had ever heard from her.

Poor Bill, he was gone to meet his end, but they got his evil maker and she'd pay for what she'd done to him. I wished I could tell him so he could go to his true death with peace.

"I'll do my best." I told her.

"I expect that you will." She said.

I went to talk to the day shift tech and get his report about the vampires' day. I was shocked to see that none of them had been touched. This was going to make this night so much easier. I'm glad that the information Bill and Eric had given me had spared them a day of pain.

I decided my first stop would be to Marcus' cell. He wasn't a very talkative vampire, but he did on occasion offer up little tidbits about himself. He was antsy and greeted me with a look that pretty much told me he was on to my purpose here. I hoped he'd be willing to offer up something on someone who'd already been lost like Eric had, or a vampire who was no asset to their kind like Bill had.

"Hi Marcus. How are you tonight?" I asked.

"Peachy." He said with a sneer.

"So glad to hear it." I said sassily and went about getting all my supplies ready to care for him.

"Why are you being nice to us?" He asked suspicious. "I've been wondering about it for a while now. No matter how nasty I am to you you're still kind."

I was surprised he'd asked. I think this is the only time he had ever addressed me directly.

"Because everyone deserves respect. Kindness doesn't cost a thing and people should use it liberally." I told him.

"I'm vampire, you're human. Even, before all this, your kind was rarely ever decent to us." He said.

"From what I understand both our kinds were rarely ever decent to each other. Toxic symbiosis. You wanted what we had, mainly blood but also the ability to live in the open. We wanted your blood for what it could do and some of the more pathetic wanted things I'm not going to even bring up. It wasn't a good situation." I explained.

"Would you want those things if you could have them?" He asked staring me right in the eyes.

"No. I was raised better than that. I'd want to get to know you, hear your stories. I love history and I know about being an outcast. Not the popular girl growing up." I said.

He nodded and lay quiet while I started washing him up and running through the list of things I needed to get done. I wasn't going to push him for information, he'd either give it our he wouldn't. I knew he'd heard plenty of what was going on here with all the yelling Bill had done plus what he could have heard from me and Eric talking.

"You seem like a good person. If more of you and more of us had the same outlook you do maybe this never would have come to pass." He said quietly pain dimmed his eyes.

"Thank you, Marcus." I said while prepping his blood. "I think your probably right about that."

"I was not a good person before. I miss my maker. She ran when everything started, told us to come but we were cocky and thought the humans stood no chance against us. If I could go back, do it again. I'd do things different." He spoke with such pain in his voice.

"You mean leaving with your maker or being a better person?" I asked.

"Both." He said red rimming his eyes.

I knew then that his maker and siblings were all dead. He was alone in the world now. I felt such compassion for him. I knew what it was to lose people. My whole family was gone except me and my brother. I knew I'd gently question. I knew he was giving me the opportunity for him to give up the names of those he had loved to help our cause. I hoped he made it out tonight so I could keep my word and get to know him and his stories.

"Do you know where she went?" I asked carefully.

"Corina loved the sea. She was born on the coast of California before it was California. I hope she made it back." He said nearly choking on his pain.

"I hope she did too." I told him gently. "If she had a last name I could try and see what happened to her?"

"Laenay. Her surname was Laenay." He said absently.

I hooked up his fed when he turned his face away from me to privately grieve for his lost maker. My heart was heavy as I thought about what he'd said. What he'd just given up. All he had left of his maker was her name and he'd given it to them for the cause.

"Be well Marcus." I said and left his cell.

I knew Lena was waiting for me to come report what I had found out. I took a few breathes to tamp down my sadness for Marcus and his family because they couldn't know I cared. I also used my short walk back to corral the anger that was festering in my gut. I reminded myself that after tonight it would be over for them. Alive or dead they'd be free.

I walked into the control pod and as I expected she was waiting, tapping her pen against her desk. I approached her desk with my professional face back in place.

"He gave me his makers name. Corina Laenay. Likely gone to California." I told her.

"I don't know how you do it." She said typing away at the database Bill had given them.

I didn't bother answering her. She knew damn well. I'd told her enough times that being a decent person gets you a long way with people. She didn't need to know that they were being extra forthcoming because we were buying time until we could free them from this hell hole.

"That name matches an entry in the database. She is unaccounted for. I'll forward this to the appropriate authorities in California." She said disgustingly satisfied.

"Glad to be of help." I answered mechanically.

I felt dirty just like I did every time I gave her any information. Even if I knew that the vampires, I was selling out were already truly dead it didn't change the skeevy feeling it gave me.

"You can go finish with the rest of your subjects; I don't have anything else priority for you tonight." She said dismissively. "Don't forget to check the manifest tonight."

I nodded not trusting my tone of voice to be cordial. I grabbed my charts and got the hell out of there. I went to Pam's cell first and decided I'd work my way to Eric. I knew seeing him would make my nerves go crazy and I needed to keep a level head. She was amped up. It was obvious she was ready for this jail break.

"Good Evening Susanna." She purred when I entered her cell.

"Hey Pam. How are you tonight." I asked like usual.

"Loathing this attire and hungry." She snarked. "You look delicious as always"

I snorted and shook my head. Pam was something else. I was looking forward to getting to know the vivacious and vicious vampire.

I went through our usual care routine and prepped her blood. Once I hooked it up, she winked at me and whispered see you on the other side. I nodded and started putting everything away.

"Be well Pam." I said on my way out.

I gave them all their second rounds of blood before my shift ended around 5 am. So, I wouldn't be seeing her again tonight, at least not until we were on the other side. I made my rounds though all my patients making small talk and caring for them as I always did. They were all antsy and amped up. They were ready, I didn't need to tell them anything else. After my lunch I headed to see Eric.

"Hello Susanna." He said as I entered.

"Hello Eryn." I answered with a smile.

While I was pulling supplies, I felt him slip into my mind. It had become habit for me to just leave my shields down when I was with him.

"Everything is going according to plan?" he whispered into my mind.

I nodded as I started taking care of his needs. His body was tense, ready to spring. He had a predator's gleam in his eyes. I could feel the excitement and anticipation rolling off him in waves.

"I have a lovely vintage of lab rat for you tonight." I said with a smirk.

"No dumpster this time, classy." He snarked.

I tried and failed not to laugh. I loved the easy way we joked with each other. I was excited as hell to know him outside of this facility. I was all scared to death of anything happening to him, to any of them.

"Sookie you should leave here before they come to get us out." He said in my head, the thought was laced with concern.

"Not a damn chance. Ari tried this line on me too." I sent back.

"I don't want you risking yourself Sookie. You've done more than enough. Let them take it from here." He sent to me agitated.

"No. I'm staying. I'm helping. I won't change my mind Eric. Ari has people in place to look after me and I know if things get bad to get to you, Pam or Ari or his people." I sent back firmly.

He shot me a look of pure annoyance and I glared right back at him. He was stubborn but I was just as much. He huffed a sigh resigned that I wasn't going to cooperate and there was nothing he could do presently to stop me. I finished giving him his blood and put everything away. He hadn't said anything else and neither had I, but I could feel him in my head just enjoying my presence. I was adjusting his fresh gown and sheet and checking his restraints and covertly loosening them as I had with the others when he grabbed my hand.

"Be safe Sookie. Don't take chances. I'll see you soon." He sent to me with a flood of feelings I was having a hard time keeping up with.

"I'll be careful. See you soon." I sent back with my own rush of emotion.

"Be well Eryn." I said aloud and squeezed his hand back.

I left his cell with my head full of thoughts about us free from here. I had all my charts and had to get to the reporting station to chart all I'd done and heard tonight. As I was walking passed the empty cells on my section, I had a thought. How many more were there. I only had 5 of my 7 vampires left, 2 lives wiped out. I wondered how many of the vampires on this wing were still alive, how many had been lost. I decided to take a stroll down the corridor and count how many were still alive. With each empty cell I passed my heart grew heavier. Out of the 28 vampires that were here when I started this job just 19 remained. It made me angry when I realized that the vampires not in my section were still being experimented on. All less than level 3 but still suffering. I hoped that they were getting some kindness since they had hired the new staff to implement my project.

I sent Ari a text giving him the numbers in case they needed that to gauge the supplies or transport and accommodations for the freed vampires. My nerves shot back up as I checked the time. It was 1, only 3 more hours until the rescue. My pulse shot up and I ran through all the details of the plan Ari had told me about. I made a mental list of places I could shelter as the first wave hit. I decided I'd go into one of the empty cells and wait until they took the control center. After that I'd get to one of the vampires I could trust. I knew everyone else would run to the control center, I wasn't going anywhere near there. I knew soon as the vampires were free the control pod would be a dining hall.

I sat down at a reporting station and began the task of entering all the data and notes from my rounds. I knew it was a useless act. None of it would matter in a few hours but it kept up appearances and gave me something to keep me busy as my anxiety built as time passed. I bounced my leg under the desk trying to burn off the nervous energy building in me. While I worked, I started digging into the place where my abilities lived. I figured I should have them primed for use. I felt them wake up, felt them tingle through my body. I could feel my senses sharpen but I held it off at that level. I didn't need to start a light show and have all hell break lose before the rescue party arrived.

I was just finishing up my charting and had a snack of beef jerky and an energy drink. I wanted to be ready to do whatever it took to help get everyone out. I checked the clock, 3:15, I sent out a mental sweep and picked up many vampire voids and the snarly red thoughts of Were's. They were in place and ready to strike. The nervousness I'd been battling since I woke up narrowed into a focus I hadn't experienced before. I pushed my mind to Eric, and I felt him acknowledge me. I'd never tried to talk to him from this distance but was thrilled that I could.

"They're here. The facility is surrounded." I sent to him.

"Excellent" He sent back crackling with anticipation. "Be safe."

"You too."

I checked the manifest to see if I was supposed to be getting any new vampires. New manifests came out every week and it would be a perfect excuse to be in one of the empty cells. Like some kind of miracle, I was expecting 2 new vampires next week. I hustled out of control and grabbed a resupply and prep cart and let myself into the empty cell next to Eric's. I placed the cart between myself and the cell door and began the task of prepping the cell for its new tenant. 3:45. I crouched down to clean out the blood and fluids fridge the cell door, the gurney and now the fridge door would shield me from anything were things to go bad. I was monitoring the vampires and Were's and felt them all move at once, it was beginning.

"They're coming." I shouted down the mental link I had to Eric and I felt his mind turn dark and slithery.

The door to the secret Human Securities squad hallways opened and 12 vampires with two go pro wearing Were's casually strolled onto the wing. The paused only for a moment locating where all the humans were and then they became blurs 11 sped towards the control pod, Samuel, Ari's underling remained outside the cell I had locked myself inside. Humans started screaming and I could hear restraints snapping as the vampires in the cells freed themselves. I'd left scrubs in each of the cells earlier so the vampires didn't have to fight naked, not that they'd likely care but I though I'd leave the option.

I could hear gunfire! Not on my wing but on one of the others and I prayed that we didn't lose any of the vampires. The cell doors hissed open and I saw Eric fly out of his cell in a pair of scrub pants. I moved straight to Samuel, he told me to hold until the signal to leave was given. Apparently, the gun fire was coming from the docks area where there had been a few guards. I could only feel a few terrified human minds left, I got from them that they were being fed on and puled myself out. I didn't care to hear or feel that.

There was a tremendous boom that rocked the building and Samuel grabbed my hand.

"We're going. C wing exit is blocked. Follow me and stay close." He hissed fangs out.

"What the hell was that?" I asked

"A bomb. Were bring this place down." Was all he said

I wasn't going to argue. He led me through c wing passed the bodies of my coworkers. I didn't see Eric, Pam or any of my other vampires and hoped that they were ok. He led me onto D wing and as we were heading for the back halls 3 vampires flashed in front of us. They were eyeing me like dinner. Samuel shoved me behind him and crouched into an attack position.

"She belongs to Northman. Back the fuck down." He growled at them.

They considered what Samuel said and I could see it in their eyes the moment they decided they weren't going to pass me up as a menu item. They launched themselves toward us and Samuel passed me back as he met them in fist and fangs. The third one who had waited slipped around the brawl and stalked towards me. My power crackled through my veins and lit my hands like flood lights.

"Stay the fuck away from me." I warned him.

He only smiled a feral mad man's smile and kept coming. I heard Eric roar from down the hall. The vampire determined to get me first launched himself at me and light detonated from my hands. The vampires skin hissed and bubbled before he exploded into a pile of blood and gore. I fell flat on my ass and stared in shock at what I had done, what I was capable of doing. I looked at myself covered in blood and pieces of vampire as Eric raced past me and tore the heart out of one of the vampires Samuel was fighting allowing him to remove the head of the other.

"Get her out of here." He ordered Samuel then turned to me.

"Impressive Sookie. Go with him now. I'll see you soon." He said with a fangy smile.

I nodded still in a shock about what I'd just done. I didn't regret it; I was glad I was able to protect myself. I shut it all down all those thoughts to focus on what I was doing right now. There'd be time to figure out all my abilities later. I turned to follow Samuel out of the facility.

"Oh, and Sookie." He said seductively. "Blood looks good on you."

I snorted and laughed as he sped down the hall to finish what they'd started. Samuel led me out of the facility, and we were half through the parking lot when I saw two Human Security Squad guards rushing towards us with the silver stake bows that they often carried. Samuel hissed and yanked us behind a car. I heard another one with my telepathy behind us, he was thinking about the perfect shot he had on the vampire trying to abduct me.

"No!" I screamed, my power surged into my hands and I spun around aiming my light in his direction. The force of the impact knocked him backwards about ten feet and the stake he fired embedded itself into the car instead of Samuel.

Samuel stared at the stake and then me. Gratitude all over his face he tipped his head to me.

"Thank you." He said before darting around cars and took out the other two guards who took shelter after they saw what I did to their companion.

He came back to me next to the car and we both scanned the area for any other danger.

"All clear." I told him.

"How'd you know he was back there?" He asked.

I tapped my temple and told him I had my ways. I could see him working that around in his head. He studied me still scanning the parking lot.

"What are you?" He asked.

"Something else. Now let's get the hell out of here before anyone else comes." I said quietly.

He grabbed me and unceremoniously hauled me over his shoulder and took off at a dizzying speed. He stopped next to a box truck filled with vampires in varying states of being and Were's trying to help them. I started to hop in with the rest, but Samuel hauled me up to the passenger side of the truck.

"You have a death wish or something cher?" He asked shaking his head.

"No. I can help though." I said defensively.

"I know you can. The Were's will help them and not get eaten, we don't care for the taste of dog." He laughed.

I socked him in the shoulder and told him that was rude. One of the Were's hollered that it was, for Samuel to eat a bag of dicks, and thanked me for sticking up for them.

"You are a brave one. I give you that cher. Can't say I ever knew anyone once I was turned dare hit me or tell me I was being rude." He said amused.

"Well maybe someone should have. Probably would have improved your manners." I snarked.

He sped around to the driver's side and started the truck. Someone banged on the wall between us to let us know they were secured. Blurs of vampires sped past us and a pack of wolves hot on their tail. We'd made it about a block when the explosions started. The impact shook the ground and fire and smoke raced into the predawn sky.

"Are you ok." Ari sent to me in a text.

"I'm safe with Samuel. We are coming to where you are." I text back.

That damn vampire sent me a winky face. I sent him back a middle finger.

I watched the facility burn in the side view mirror as we drove away. I knew this was only the beginning. What we had done here, the videos that the Were's would post, it was the start of a revolution. Word would spread fast to humans and vampires alike. With the videos the humans wouldn't be able to cover this up. It was time everyone knew about the atrocities; the genocide being committed all over this country. I was proud to say that I was the mother of a rebellion.


	10. Chapter 10

I watched the glow of the fire on the horizon as we drove out of the city. I watched until it disappeared from my view. We'd done it. We'd freed all that we could and burnt the facility to the ground, no other vampire would suffer there. I consoled myself with that knowledge while I mourned for the ones that had been lost. I even mourned the ones we'd been forced to kill because the madness caused by captivity and torture had broken them beyond redemption. I could hear the moans of the injured vampires and Were's coming from the back of the van and I hoped we hadn't lost many and that we wouldn't lose anymore.

"You alright there cher?" Samuel asked breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, yea. I'm fine." I answered absently.

"In my experience cher when a lady cries, she is most often not fine." He said.

I hadn't even realized that I'd been crying. I wiped the tears off my cheeks and rubbed my eyes. The events of the night had clearly taken a toll on me. I didn't regret a thing but the losses of life that had happened.

"I'm ok Samuel. Its just that, that, so much has happened. Everything is going to be different now. Good different and bad different." I told him.

He nodded; eyes locked on the road allowing me the privacy he could afford me to compose myself. It was my reality now. All the things that were coming for us, the good, the bad, the fighting and likely the dying of both super naturals and humans alike. When I started my mission to free my vampires, I hadn't fully considered what it would mean for all of us. I knew now. I knew my life from now on would be in territory I had never been in before, running, hiding, plotting and finding ways to liberate more super naturals with as little loss of life as possible. I am not ashamed to admit I am scared shitless. I don't know where I fit in this world, didn't even know I belonged to it until very recently.

"How much further?" I asked to distract myself from all the emotions burning a hole in my chest.

We'd been driving for almost two hours. We were in the middle of nowhere. I hadn't seen a sign of civilization for the last half hour. It was black as pitch out here and the dirt road we'd turned onto ten minutes ago showed no signs of life, not even livestock.

"We're here." He said as he slowed the truck and turned into a field.

I looked at him with disbelief on my face. There wasn't a damn thing out here. The path and I use that term loosely was barely more then an old cow path. He didn't say anything else and I stared into the darkness looking for anything. As we made our way slowly over the rutted and worn trail a dark outline appeared in the distance. It was one of those corrugated steel buildings you'd see on a farm to store equipment.

"Trust me. This is the safest place for all of us. It is more then it appears." He stated calmly.

"Do you think I'll be welcome here?" I asked softly.

He brought the truck to an abrupt stop and turned to face me, his eyes fierce and surprised at the same time.

"I thought Aurelias made it clear that you are one of us Susanna. You will be among friends here. You will be hailed as a savior. You saved many lives. You have led us out of the dark after so much suffering." He said fervently.

"I'm no savior. I'm just a human woman with some extras." I answered eyes down cast.

"Look at me." He said firmly.

When I didn't look up to meet his penetrating gaze he growled and swore.

"Look. At. Me. Susanna." He annunciated every word. I looked up and met his determined eyes. "You are a supernatural being; you might have some human in you, but you are more us than them. I don't think you fully understand what it is that you have done. You didn't just help rescue a few dozen vampires, you united factions of super naturals that have not worked together in this way in so long that only the elders remember a time when your kind and ours weren't enemies."

I just stared at him. I had no idea what to say to that or how to feel about it.

"OK." I said lamely.

"Not since the days of…" He started but abruptly stopped.

"Not since the days of what?" I asked.

"It is not my place to tell you. Aurelius or Eric will explain everything to you." He said ending this conversation.

I wasn't having it though. You can't just start a sentence that way and expect someone to leave it.

"Oh no sir. You cannot just say something like that and then expect me to leave it. Not since the time of what Samuel?" I demanded.

"Not since Lilith. Our kinds once lived peacefully. She asked to much and we all payed. I won't say anything more; I've already said to much." He replied.

I wanted to yell at him, but it was clear that what he'd told me cost him. He'd been an ally to me, and I wouldn't risk him further even though my curiosity was burning like hell alive. He put the truck back in gear and continued towards the dark building in the middle of a field in hells hundred acres.

"Be brave Susanna, timid doesn't suit you" He said as we pulled up to the door of the building.

He hopped out of the cab and rounded the back of the truck in the blink of an eye. A moment later the rolling doors of the building opened and Were's and Vampires came to help unloaded the wounded from the back of the truck. Ari was opening my door a second later.

"Are you well?" He asked as I hopped out of the truck.

"I am." I answered with a wink.

Samuel was right, timid didn't suit me. I had done something no one else had dared and succeeded. The lady balls Jason had told me to find I had located and even though I didn't know how to fit in this new world I was a part of, I was damn determined to not show fear. I wouldn't let doubt and fear crush my spirit now.

"Are Eric and Pam ok?" I demanded.

"They are inside recovering and feeding. He wants to see you. He was quite pissed off at me for trusting your welfare to an underling until he saw you fry that vampire into oblivion." He said with a lopsided grin.

"He does realize that I rescued him not the other way around doesn't he." I said cocking an eyebrow.

"We all know." He said with deep respect.

"Oh no. Don't you start with that you're a savior bullshit. I'll deal with it from the others but not you. I'm still just Susanna the crazy girl who accosts ancient vampires in bars. You are still Ari the insufferably smug beast who looked out for a girl he barely knew." I said sassily.

"As you like Susanna." He said and barked out a laugh.

I hugged him and he went statue still. "You're going to get me killed." He muttered running a hand through his dark hair.

I looked behind Ari and saw several dozen vampires and Were's watching us. There was a mixture of expressions of their faces, shock, surprise, curiosity, awe and respect. I took a deep breath; it was time to face the people I'd saved and the others who helped with the saving. It was time to see Eric.

"Come, I'll take you to him." He said and turned heading towards the building.

My heart was fluttering in my chest like a panicked bird. I was going to see Eric. Not the Eric I had known as a captive, but him free and at full strength. I was excited as hell and just as equally freaking out. I followed Ari into the building and the crowd gathered just inside parted like the Red Sea for Moses. I could hear them whispering to each other. I blocked all that out. I needed to have a clear head when I saw Eric again.

Once inside I saw that this was not just some shed in a field. The inside looked like a home once you got past the loading dock. There was a makeshift infirmary in the huge open living area, vampires were being tended to and fed. Were's were being patched up and healed by uninjured vampires. There were piles of bagged blood and medical supplies spread out on tables throughout the area. Ari turned down a hallway and led me towards a room at the end. Pam was standing outside the door looking rosy and well dressed. As we got close to the door her leering gaze landed on me and appraised me.

"Blood looks good on you, really brings out your eyes." She said smirking.

"Thanks Pam." I said with mock sincerity.

I hadn't paid any attention to the state I was in but as I surveyed myself, I saw that I was in fact covered in vampire remains. My hair was crusted with dried blood, as well as my hands, face, and well pretty much all of me. I laughed out loud at the absurdity of how calm I was considering the events of the night and all the things I'd been taken on in the last few months.

"Ugh, I look disgusting." I sighed.

"You look like a warrior." Ari said simply.

Pam motioned to a door to her left. I opened it and was thankful to find a well-appointed bathroom stocked with everything a person could ever need in the way of hygiene.

"I'll send some clothes back and Thank you." She said before striding down the hall.

I slipped inside and closed the door. I started the shower and adjusted the temperature of the water. I leaned against the door while I waited. I was bone tired. I was also completely consumed with the idea of seeing Eric tonight. His words were repeating themselves over and over again. Everything we had said to each other these past few months. One thing he'd said to me stood out. _When we are out of here, I don't intend to share you with anyone._ Ari had told me endlessly that Eric would claim me, that I'd be his, at some point I had started considering him mine as well. I'd know one way or the other soon enough.

The door opening pulled me out of my thoughts. Pam slipped in with a pile of clothing in her hands.

"I did not know what kinds of things you wear in your outside life. I took the liberty of choosing this." She said with a wicked smile and thrust the pile of clothing at me.

It was a soft pale green sweater with cape sleeves and a plunging neckline, a pair of grey capri jeans and some silver wedge sandals. I was truly impressed with her taste. The underwear she provided on the other hand were positively scandalous. There was hardly a scrap of fabric in the thong she provided but at least the bra appeared to have a bit more fabric which was good considering my chest was hardly small. The sizes were all spot on. They were a pale yellow which would look amazing with my tan.

"How'd you know my sizes?" I asked and immediately regretted it.

"Oh, I know a woman's body better than any man alive." She purred with a lascivious grin.

I didn't have any witty retort so I shooed her out of the bathroom so I could shower. She remarked that I was no fun as she slipped out. I locked the door behind her. I quickly shed my gross clothing and got to work making myself presentable again.

Pam and Ari were waiting for me in the hallway when I came out of the bathroom, fresh, clean, nicely dressed and anxious beyond all belief.

"He is waiting for you." Pam said and gestured to the door at the end of the hallway.

Ari nodded towards the door and then turned to follow Pam. I stood there staring at the door, my feet rooted to the floor. This was the moment I had been looking forward to for months. For us to be on level ground. To be free with him. For us to be able to speak freely, to be able to touch without fear of him being hurt or me getting locked away. I could feel him on the other side of the door, I felt him feel my presence. Anticipation bubbled under my skin, mine and his. I reached out for the doorknob and turned it to open it the same time as he did.

He stood before me freshly showered his hair wet and slicked back except for a few stands that fell across his forehead, he was in a pair of black track pants and a tank top that hugged his body like a second skin. He looked healthy and whole. A lilted smile curled his lips and crinkled the corners of his eyes. The same stunning blue eyes I had looked into for months now shone with pleasure instead of pain. My breath caught in my throat and nearly choked me with the emotions coursing through me.

"Hello Sookie." He breathed.

"Hello Eric." I said smiling.

"Say it again." He said his mind curling around mine.

I felt so much from him and I dropped all my shields and let him in so he could feel everything from me. Our eyes were locked, and we looked at each other like it was the first time and millionth time. Any doubts I'd ever had melted away when his hand took mine and the connection between us ebbed and flowed like an ocean current.

"Hello Eric." I said again.

He took my hand and pressed a kiss into my palm before he crushed me into his chest, his arms like banded steel held me tight as he buried his face into my neck inhaling deeply. I wrapped my arms around his back and held him just as tightly, breathing in his scent. We stayed like that for what felt like days. I'd never felt so content.

He loosened his grip enough to cup my cheek in his huge palm and tilted my head back to look into my eyes.

"Thank you for saving us, for saving me. I owe you a life debt Sookie." He said.

"I so happy that you're free. You don't owe me anything Eric. I helped because I wanted to, because it was the right thing to do." I told firmly.

He smiled at me shaking his head "Such goodness in you Sookie. You are owed the debt none the less. You have the life debts of 74 vampires, 12 Were's and 4 shifters as well."

"What are you talking about?" I asked confused.

"That is how many you freed tonight. They apparently found out about the Were and Shifter communities as well. They had two wings dedicated to torturing them as well as vampires. We lost 26 lives in total. More than half that number had to be put down or took their own lives as soon as they were free, their minds were broken." He said angrily.

My heart broke for the ones we lost tonight, for the families and makers who'd never know what happened to them. I was furious at LODI for the things they were doing. If it was happening in this facility who knew how many others were locked away still being tortured. I was pissed at myself for not swiping more information than I had as we scrambled to get out of the chaos as the facility was raided. I had managed to grab the back up drive off the tech station as Samuel hustled me past it though.

"Eric I can't have that many people owing me. I just wouldn't feel right about it." I said.

"This is how things work in the supernatural world. I know you don't know much about it yet, but I will explain everything to you. You are a part of this world now. Aurelius surely told you that." He explained patiently.

"Yes, he told me that. I knew that part going in. He did not tell me that I was going to gawked at and revered as some kind of savior who would be holding life debts from nearly a hundred people!" I said.

"Calm down. It's not as serious as you think it is. They are not your servants now. They simply owe you any favor you ask at any point in the future as payment for saving their lives. The favor could be anything from protecting you or a loved one to coming over to rake your leaves, it's completely up to you. It is just the currency in the supernatural world, money means nothing to us since we have either had extremely long lives and amassed our own fortunes or, inherited from our makers. The Were's and shifters use it as a currency and point of honor. To refuse them would be a great insult." He said matter of factly.

I stepped out of his grasp and plopped down on the couch. There was so much I had to learn and things I was going to have to accept even if I didn't understand them. Eric knelt in front of me and took my hand.

"I know this is a lot Sookie. I swear I will help you if you want me to or if you'd prefer Aurelius to help guide you that is an option you have as well." He said.

I could see by the look on his face and the fire in his eyes that it irked him to the core to offer another vampires guidance to me. I appreciated the gesture, that he was offering me any freedom I wanted even though it flew in the face of all his instincts.

"Thank you. I will gladly accept you help figuring all this out. Ari is my friend and I hope you won't mind to much if I ask his help if we're in a situation where yours isn't available." I told him.

I could see that was the answer he was hoping for and he just nodded and took a place next to me on the couch.

"Lay it on me then. I want to know what you know about what I am and to which family of the Fae you think I belong to?" I said.

"You're a most definitely from one of the Sky clans, I can taste that in your blood. Judging by the amount of power you have, and I am basing this on the things I saw you do at the facility and what I was informed you did while awaiting your arrival I'd say you're from the Brigant line. They are the ruling family of the Sky Fae. I met their leader on the battlefield once a very long time ago when of kinds went to war. The ruling Prince saved my life for a reason I have never know. I recognize the taste of his line in your blood as well." He explained

"Is the war what happened because of Lilith?" I asked.

"It is. How is it that you know about Lilith?"

"Samuel made an off-hand comment on the way up here. He tried to shut down the conversation, but I wasn't having it. He told me that she asked for too much and all of you paid for it." I explained.

Eric raked a hand over his face and swore. What ever happened back then between vampires and the Fae was obviously terrible.

"Lilith was the first vampire as far as any of us know, she sired thousands and led our race once. The Fae all lived on Earth then. They have their own realm that only they can get to, but they enjoyed our plane and set up their own empire her as well. Lilith wanted the powers that they Fae possessed but the Fae are very powerful beings and she knew they would never bow to her, so she found a young Fae male who just so happened to be a Prince from the Brigant line. She started an affair with him which was forbidden. Our kinds lived peacefully together but there was to be no mingling of the species, it was part of the treaty between the two nations. They kept it secret, no one had any idea. Lilith took advantage of his love and trust and turned him. The Prince became unimaginably powerful with all the gifts of both our kinds and none of our weaknesses. Lilith being his maker had him under her command and wielded him as a weapon to try and enslave the Fae nation to her. A vicious and bloody war that lasted almost 100 years began. The hybrid Prince was banished to a shadow realm, and Lilith was eventually destroyed, but the power that took wiped out most of the elders of all the powerful Fae families and decimated both species populations. A treaty was signed between the species once more that no Fae was to be touched while they were on this plane and that no vampires were to be either. Shortly after the end of the war all the Fae disappeared from this plane." He explained.

"That's horrible. That's why you were so surprised when you met me, because I'm a hybrid?" I asked.

"Yes. Any interspecies mingling has always been forbidden." He said. "The fact that you come from the ruling family's line has huge implications. That is why tonight Aurelius must introduce you as who you truly are Sookie. You will officially be Susanna Brigant of the Sky Clan. You need to tell him under who you wish your protection to be secured. It must either be him or me, as we are the only two elders currently in the state. This does not make you ours, it only ensures that everyone knows you are untouchable." He said.

I just nodded as I sat and processed everything I'd just been told. I came from a ruling clan of Sky Fae; I had no idea what that made me. I certainly wasn't just Susanna Stackhouse nurse and mind reader anymore. My decision to help Eric and the other vampires put me in a supernatural spotlight. It was going to changes hundreds of years of animosity between all the supernatural factions. My head was swimming and I had choice to make and they had to be made right now.

I knew without doubt that I was going to ask to be under Eric's protection. I trust him; we have a connection that is unlike anything I've ever experienced. Ari could and would take the job and I have no doubt he'd do an incredible job, but I don't feel for him what I do for Eric. I had admitted to myself that my feelings for Eric were growing deeper.

"I want to under your protection Eric." I told him.

The smile that lit up his features was beautiful. I got the impression from what I felt from him that my choice meant a lot to him. I felt his mind curl around mine, the first time since we'd begun this conversation. I realized he didn't want to influence me by allowing his feelings on the subject to taint mine and it only made me trust him more.

Ari announced himself with a quick knock before coming into the office Eric and I had taken over.

"Thought you could use this. Still going to be a long day." He said with a wink and handed me a steaming hot coffee doctored up the way I like it.

"God, you're a life saver you know that." I said.

I purred after my first sip, Eric growled, and Ari just smirked at us both.

"He knows how you take your coffee?" Eric asked with barely concealed irritation.

"He has been living in my house for the last week or so. Roommates pick up on things." I said.

"He lives with you?" Eric seethed.

"Calm down Eric. He has only been staying in the guest room so it would make planning this whole thing easier. It was getting to be a real pain in the ass trying to text so much intel back and forth. Are you aware he has a thing for winky face emojis? Most unvampiric thing I have ever seen." I said smiling smugly in Ari's direction.

"If you're quite finished plotting my demise and you're done making fun of me perhaps we can address more pressing issues." Ari said

When neither of added anything else he took that as his cue to bring us up to speed.

"The footage from the raid is all over the internet and every media outlet had picked it up. It is total chaos between the LODI organization and government. The public is also well on its way to either panic or support. Vampires who have any contact with anyone involved in the raid have started calling to find out where to meet and the ones close are already here on nearly here. Everyone wants to know about Sookie." He explained.

Eric resumed his scowling and growling in Ari's direction when he called me Sookie instead of Susanna.

"I have asked Eric to have me under his protection." I told Ari.

"As I knew you would." He said with that smug I told you so face he liked to make at me anytime I had argued that I wasn't Eric's.

"Is there anything else I need to know to inform the rest of the gathering?' He asked us both.

"Sookie will be known to everyone outside this room as Susanna Brigant of the Sky Clan." Eric said and Ari's eyes almost shot out of his head.

"Brigant? As in the ruling Fae family Brigant's?" Ari asked.

"The very same." I said.

"Well your highness..." He started but I threw a pillow at his head. Of course, it missed.

"Don't you dare. I'll blast your smug ass through a wall." I said and let my light crackle down my fingers.

Ari just smirked at me and gave me a dramatic bow. I gave him the finger and Eric muttered under his breath something about children.

"Well then let's get this introduction taken care of so we can start planning." Eric said

Eric turned to me and offered his hand to pull me up off the couch. I took it and felt our connection flowing again. I took a moment and grounded myself in the feeling of it.

"You should know Sookie that there is some ceremony involved in a vampire formally taken a person under their protection. We will have to share a drop of our blood with each other as a sign of the pact as well as so I would always be able to find and feel you. No one knows about your blood donations and it should remain that way." He explained.

"Ok. Is there anything I need to say or do beyond a small blood exchange?" I asked.

"I will offer you my protection formally and all you need to do is accept." He said.

"I'll see you out there." Ari said and left ahead of us to open the gathering and call everyone to attention.

Eric and I walked hand in hand until we neared the open area of the building. He raised my hand to his mouth and kissed the inside of my wrist. Until later he whispered into my mind. Shivers raced down my spine and set off the butterflies in my stomach at the possible meaning of that.

We both stood quietly in the hallway and listened as Ari told everyone what had happened tonight, what we planned for the future and that they all needed to contact any super naturals that they knew to warn them about the LODI agenda and to begin the long task of locating other facilities to try and save as many as we could. He told them that safe houses were being set up and to leave no trail of any kind if they left theirs lives to join the revolution.

Ari motioned to Eric and me to come forward. Eric put his hand on the small of my back and led me to the platform that had been set up.

"I know you all have been curious about the female who started this operation. Without further delay I would like to introduce you to Susanna Brigant of the Sky Clan. Susanna infiltrated the LODI facility and cared for our brothers and sisters. She came to me with a plan to save as many of us as possible and gathered all the intel necessary to carry out this operation. All of us owe her our respect and gratitude." Ari paused and let the crowd take in what he'd told them.

They were all looking at me in awe and gratitude and respect. Everyone was murmuring to each other and I had to close my mind to not be overcome by the barrage of thoughts and feelings in the room. Eric rubbed small soothing circles on my back and curled his mind into mine. All the sounds and feelings disappeared. I was going to be asking about that later, but I was thankful for the respite.

"To all of you who were saved tonight by the actions of this female step forward and make your oath." He continued.

I had not been warned about this portion of the evening. I stood stock still as more than a hundred people stood up, walked to the front of the room and took a knee.

"For what you have done, we owe you a life debt" They all said in unison.

I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I felt Eric nudging at my mind and opened it to him. _Just nod your head and tell them you accept._

"I accept." I said with a deep nod of my head.

The room had fallen silent and I knew that what had just taken place was a significant. I was Fae and I was owed life debts by three different kinds of super naturals. Eric took that moment to step forward and I knew our part of the ceremony was about to begin. I was prickling with anticipation. I had never had vampire blood before and was kicking myself for not asking ahead of time what to expect.

"I am Eric Northman and I would like to formally offer my protection to Susanna Brigant of the Sky Clans as an elder of the vampire monarchy of Louisiana. Do you accept my offer and bond of protection?" Eric asked me.

"Yes. I accept your offer and bond of protection." I answered.

Ari produced a small ornate knife from a box on the table behind us and handed it to Eric. He took my hand and pricked my right index finger then his right index finger. We were looking into each other's eyes when we took each other's finger and brought it to our mouths to exchange blood. Eric eyes closed and a hum started in his chest as he sucked the blood from my finger. He licked the wound and watched as I licked away the blood that had pooled on his fingertip. This was far more intimate than I had imagined it would be.

"So, it is done. Susanna Brigant is under the protection of Eric Northman. Let it be known to all that any offense against her is an offense against him and all of the Monarchy of Louisiana." Ari said.

Eric took my hand again and led me from the crowds. I could tell he needed some privacy as much as I did. We walked in silence back to the office, but I could feel him probing the new thread in our connection. I opened my mind back up to him now that we were safely back in the office away from the crowds. I let him explore the new connection as I did the same. This new sense of each other was deeper than before, it was a direct link to each other where before had only been an awareness.

"You want me. Not just as a protector." He said surprised.

'Yes. I've wanted that since we got to know each other Eric." I answered.

I could feel his emotions more clearly and I was just as surprised as he was to find that he wanted me not for my power or potential, not for my blood but for the woman he got to know while he was imprisoned. The months were we could only talk to each other mentally, the snarky banter we developed, he secrets he'd shared with me thinking I'd be the last person he'd ever talk to, the things I had told him trying to give him a sense of belonging, the quiet sharing of companionship had built something between us that neither of us had expected.

"I didn't expect to feel this way towards you. I haven't opened myself to anyone in centuries." He said quietly.

"I haven't ever been able to open myself up completely to anyone. I didn't expect to feel the things I feel for you either." I said.

"Do you still want me now that I'm free? Now that you've seen what I really am and the things I am capable of doing." He said quietly.

I squeezed his hand and smiled.

"Do you still want me now that you've seen what I really am and what I am capable of?" I asked right back.

"I've never wanted anything more." He said eyes burning with desire.

The energy between us was so powerful, it crackled between us and sizzled over my skin. I moved a hand up to his face and caressed his cheek, traced his lips with my thumb and when his fangs snapped down I gently traced one with my index finger pricking the tip and left a drop of blood there that he licked up immediately making him shiver all over.

His eyes were closed as he savored the taste of my blood. I curled my hand around the back of his neck and pulled him down to my face, we stood there our foreheads pressed against each other just enjoying the closeness and connection. He softly kissed one corner of my mouth, then the other. A breathy sign escaped me, and he took the opportunity to claim my mouth in a knee buckling kiss. My body ignited into a firestorm, desire coursed through me and into him through our mental connection. He growled deep in his chest as he took more, his lips and tongue more demanding, his kiss was like nothing I'd ever experienced before.

He lifted me off the floor and I wrapped my legs around him as we stood there in the middle of the room devouring each other like two starving people. The world around us faded away as we explored each other. He pulled back panting, eyes burning, fangs down, I saw the predator and the man at the same time. My blood was on his lips from where I'd sliced my tongue while I kissed him. He looked in my eyes with focused intensity as he bit into the palm of his hand, I watched as blood slowly filled his palm. I knew what he was asking, what he was offering, and I wanted it.

"We'll know each other in ways you cannot begin to understand after this. Are you sure you understand what this means?" He asked.

"Yes, I know. Ari filled me in on all the details of blood exchange. I've spent months getting to know you as best I could. I can call you Eric now, I can touch you, talk to you, feel you, without fear of either of us getting hurt. Nothings ever that simple but I want this Eric." I said.

He smiled at me then, a real genuine smile and he was magnificent. I knew we'd face more trials, but I was ready to face it with him.

"You understand that you will be mine?" He asked.

"Yes. I understand that Eric." I said softly.

"Then take what you want Sookie." He said with a smile.

I smiled back at him and nodded as I pulled his palm to my mouth and drank from him. His blood hit my system with all the subtlety of a freight train. He kissed my neck before he sank his fangs in and drew my blood into him. The world fractured around me and rearranged itself in a whole new way. Eric fell to his knees as our blood combined and our connection expanded, contracted then narrowed to a pinpoint. It was solid tangible link between us that I could find and feel inside me. I dropped my head onto his chest and enjoyed the way our connection felt. He was cradling my body against him while I clung to him, the only anchor either of us had was each other.

We weren't in love but what we had between us was way past anything anyone had ever considered love. It felt like the deepest quietest most essential parts of us merged into one. We were both panting through the fusion of our connection. When the electric fissures sealed and the shocks of our blood exchange finally settled, we sat there on the concrete floor of a plain room, in the middle of nowhere looking into each other's eyes, words had no place here.


	11. Chapter 11

The door to the office slammed open with such force it nearly came off its hinges and abruptly pulled us both out of the quiet enjoyment of each other.

Pam stood there, fangs down and on full alert. She took in the scene before her. Eric and I still embracing each other on the floor. Blood on both our lips from our exchange. She looked as shocked as she did pissed off.

"What the fuck was that?" She demanded.

I didn't know what to say and was glad Eric chose to field her question.

"We exchanged blood. I will assume you felt the culmination of that." He said.

It hadn't occurred to me that with Eric and my minds completely open to each other that what we felt would have rode down their bond.

"I just felt my whole existence slide of its axis. So, I say again. What the fuck was that?"

"As I said before, we exchanged blood and have sealed the beginning of a bond together." Eric said slightly annoyed at having to repeat himself.

I decided it would likely be best if Eric and I weren't wrapped around each other while they hashed out the particulars of what we had just done and began to untangle myself from him. He tightened his grip on me and curled his mind possessively around mine.

" _Stay. Please."_ He whispered into my mind.

I laced my fingers into his and nodded. I wasn't ready to be separated from him either so, I settled myself back into him and he relaxed again.

"What the fuck Eric? Do you have Stockholm syndrome? She was nice to you and now you're what, in love with her?" Pam demanded confused and angry.

"Pamela, that is enough." Eric said seething.

That stung. I knew Pam had a respect and appreciation for what I had done for her and them, but it was clear she didn't think I deserved Eric.

"It is nothing like that Pam. I have got to know Sookie over the last several months. We formed a bond without blood. Now we have strengthened it in blood. I care for her deeply. She is brave and loyal and kind. She is mine. You will respect that whether you understand it or like it." He said firmly.

"Of course, Master." She said hatefully and stormed back down the hall nearly taking Ari down as she went.

"Don't worry about her, she will come around once she calms down and gets to know you better. She is not good at sharing." Eric told me.

"I guess that must be a family trait." I said with a wink.

Eric laughed and nodded his head. He stood up and moved us to the couch. I situated myself so that I was facing the room as Ari asked if it was safe to come in.

Eric waved him into the room while he ran his nose along my neck. He licked a bit of blood off my shoulder and laced his fingers back into mine.

"I can smell that you've begun a bond." Ari said smiling. "What did I tell you."

"Yes. You were right. Happy now?" I asked exasperated.

"Completely." He sassed me back looking like a cat who got the cream.

"What are you two talking about." Eric asked.

"I'll leave it to her to tell." Ari said smugly.

I squeezed Eric's hand and sent _later_ to him. He nodded and squeezed my hand back.

"What are your plans, Aurelius?" Eric asked moving this morning forward.

"I have made arrangements for many safe houses around Area 5, all far from any cities or towns and all in non-descript buildings like this one. I appointed 7 of my most trusted underlings to interview, place and oversee each vampire that contacts any of our already vetted people. There are 4 pack masters who will be interviewing any Were's or Shifters who contact any of theirs. We will not have another Bill Compton infiltrating our ranks." Ari explained.

"What about the news of the rescue tonight?" I asked.

"Nothing new to report on that front other than they finally got the fire out at the facility and are beginning to search for bodies. Human Securities Squads have taken charge of that and have called this rescue an act of terrorism. They will likely not be giving out a statement until later today when they have more information on what happened." He said.

I nodded and laid my head on Eric's shoulder. I was so tired. These months of being a light in the dark, of plotting and planning, using my powers tonight and everything else had sucked the energy right out of me. Not even the coffee Ari had given me earlier was helping. I began to doze off as Eric and Ari continued discussing plans for the freshly born revolution.

I came around when something cool and wet dripped onto my cheek. I opened my eyes and wiped my cheek and my hand came back bloody. I pushed off Eric's shoulder to see the blood was dripping from his ear. The bleeds had started. What time was it?

We were no longer in the office but in a bedroom. I was still in Eric's lap and he was sitting in a large armchair across from the bed. A light in a small bathroom lit the room softly.

"Eric you've got the bleeds." I said concerned.

"I'm fine. I was going to put you in the bed, but I didn't want to be parted from you." He said quietly.

"You could have just lay down with me. I wouldn't have minded." I told him.

He looked distinctly uncomfortable at the idea. Did he not want to sleep next to me? I felt sad at the thought.

"It isn't that." He said feeling my thoughts. "It's just that…"

It hit me then. He'd been strapped to a bed for 5 years. The idea of lying down again must have triggered memories of that. He was free now but the years of what he endured were still with him.

I stood up and tugged his hand to follow me. I led him into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth off the rack. I ran it in warm water and cleaned the blood from his face and neck.

"You don't have to do that anymore." He said.

"No. I don't have to. I want to Eric." I told him gently.

He leaned against the counter and let me care for him. When I was finished, I wrapped my arms around his waist and we just stood there feeling each other.

"We don't have to get in the bed. We can sleep in the chair if that's what you want. Just give me a few minutes to freshen up and use the bathroom." I said.

He kissed the top of my head and went back into the room closing the bathroom door behind him. I used the toilet since my bladder was screaming for relief. I washed my hands and face making sure all the blood was cleaned up. There were night clothes sitting on the counter and I grabbed a tank top and a pair of shorts and quickly changed.

When I opened the door, Eric had turned down the bed covers and lit a candle on a nightstand next to it. He was sitting in the armchair looking pensive.

"You need to sleep well Sookie. You've been though a lot tonight." He said thoughtfully.

"You do too Eric. When was the last time you slept comfortably? When was the last time you truly slept?" I asked.

He sat quietly contemplating what I had asked. I could feel his turmoil in our bond. I curled my mind into his and sent soothing waves to him. He relaxed fractionally.

I could tell he wanted to be close to me, needed that connection. I could also feel the tendrils of fear that gripped him when he thought of lying down. I didn't want him to suffer in his freedom as he suffered in captivity. I grabbed the blanket off the foot of the bed and walked across the room to him. I pushed the ottoman close to the chair so he could stretch out his legs and be more comfortable before I crawled into his lap and covered us both.

I kissed his cheek before I snuggled into his chest and tucked my arms around him.

"Sleep well Eric." I whispered.

He wrapped his arms around me and nuzzled the top of my head. I felt the happiness and gratitude he felt as his mind curled around mine.

"Goodnight Sookie." He answered.

A few minutes later I felt our bond go quiet. He'd gone to his day rest for the first time since I had known him. I drifted to sleep moments later.

Eric wasn't lying next to me when I woke up. He wasn't in the bedroom or the office it connected to. I checked the time and it was well after nightfall. I hurriedly dressed in the clothes I found on the end of the bed, slid into my trainers and went to go find him. The warehouse was a beehive of activity. The number of people had doubled since last night. All the cots had been removed from the open space and a command center had been set up in their place.

I scanned the area for Eric, but I couldn't feel him here. Our bond was there so he was still alive, but it was muted. I started looking for Ari or Pam next. Surely one of them would know where he had gone. I spotted Pam near the back where the blood was being handed out from a warmer.

"Pam! Have you seen Eric tonight?" I asked her.

"Hello Fairy Princess." She said disdainfully.

I had to quell my temper before I spoke to her again. I thought I had formed a sort of bond with Pam during our time in the facility, but it was clear I'd been mistaken. I was going to have to talk to her about this animosity between us and hopefully work it out, but now wasn't the time.

"Have you seen Eric or not Pam?" I asked again.

Her lips curled into a sneer as she quickly scanned the room, for what I had no idea. Something in my mind started screaming danger and I felt my power roar to life. Blue white light stated to appear in my hands, and I clamped them into fists while I wrestled for control. Ari had told me _it's a natural defense for your kind from mine._ My senses were fully heightened, I saw it coming before she moved.

Light detonated from the palms of my hands when I raised them to try and block her from getting to me. She flew backwards slamming into the wall of the warehouse before she crumpled to the floor. She was singed and blood was running from her nose and mouth. He clothes and hair were an electric mess. Our confrontation had drawn the attention of everyone in the room.

"I am not your enemy!" I yelled at her.

She just sat there openly glaring at me in both shock and contempt. She made no move to get up nor to respond to me.

"I'm not entirely human. Remember that the next time you try to hurt me." I said nastily and turned to leave.

Ari was standing right behind me and I nearly ran into him in my hurry to get the hell away from Pam before anything else detrimental happened. He looked me over and then looked passed me to where Pam was still leaned up against the wall.

"Do I want to know why you are such a mess?" He asked.

"No. No, you don't." She said in the imperious tone she preferred.

She glared at me like she was trying to kill me with her eyes. I didn't back down from glaring right back at her. I'd be damned if she thought that she was intimidating me. A vampire came up and whispered something to Ari and he looked murderous. He leveled a steely look at Pam.

"Do not think this is the end of this conversation. When your maker returns, I'll leave your punishment to him." Ari told her seething.

She simply nodded to him and sped away from all the eyes watching us. This was not how I had wanted things to go. I had begun to like Pam and I surely wanted her on our side. As far as I could figure she was fine with me on my own, she was not fine with me being bonded to her maker. I would need to talk to Eric about this, it was clearly going to continue being a problem.

"Do you know where Eric is?" I asked Ari.

"I do not Susanna. He was gone before I rose for the night." He told me.

Shit. I had no idea how I was going to find Eric and I was concerned that he just left without saying a word to anyone.

"Do vampires sweat?" I asked.

"We don't. Why do you ask?" He said confused.

"When we were still at the facility on several occasion, I saw Eric covered in sweat. Not water like he'd been wet but actually coming out from his pores." I explained getting rather concerned.

"That's not possible. Our bodies no longer operate that way since we have such low body temperatures and we are technically dead."

Double shit. They had done something to him to change his physiology. I remembered the drive I had swiped. It was encrypted and with the breech none of my passwords were going to open that drive. I needed to know exactly what they had done to all the vampires in that facility. We need to talk to all the other rescues to see if any of them had any strange things happening to them.

"I stole a backup drive from the facility. It will have all the data ever collected on the vampires and Were's that we rescued. Do you have anyone who can hack a computer drive?" I asked him

"I'm sure I can find someone that has those skills." He answered me as he began texting a light speed on his phone.

"Ari. You need to ask all the others we rescued if any of them have anything unusual happening to them. If they have altered Eric's physiology then he may need infusions or something to keep him stable, the others could as well."

A pit of dread opened in my heart as I realized the ramifications that the newly freed captives could face if we didn't get the information on that drive.

"I'll get right on both of those things and let you know as soon as I have a list and Lizette cracks the drive." He told me still texting.

Now that Ari had things covered, I returned my focus to trying to find Eric. I walked out of the warehouse followed by Samuel. I assumed this was part of Ari's texting to make sure no shit flew between Pam and me. I didn't bother asking and just let him follow me out into the vast field of grass surrounding the building.

I walked until I could no longer see the warehouse, until I couldn't feel the minds of anyone besides Samuel. I stood quietly listening to the wind whoosh through the grass, felt the humidity of the heat of the night, and stared into the blackness of the star dotted sky. Once I felt completely calm and my mind was quiet, I began tunneling into my power. I called them up until my hearing and sight was preternaturally sharp. My light lit my hands in a pale blue glow, and I felt it sparking all through my body. Only then did I touch my bond with Eric. I wrapped it in the same blue light that lit my hands and I called his name in my mind, pushing it down the bond to him. For a few minutes I got no response, no sign that he heard of felt it. I tried again only this time I sent a much more forceful call.

This time I got through to him and I felt out bond flare and heard him call my name.

" _Where are you?"_ he sent down our mental link.

" _In the field behind the_ _warehouse."_ I sent back to him.

I could feel the link getting stronger, he was getting closer. I sat down in the grass to await his arrival.

"Eric is coming." I told Samuel.

He nodded and walked further back away from me. Close enough to intercede should it become necessary but far enough away that when he left us, he wouldn't disturb us.

I could hear Eric now. A moment later he appeared in front of me, drenched in sweat. He stood there with tormented eyes. Shivering in the wind.

"Oh my god Eric!" I said rushing to his side. "Are you alright?"

"I think I need to feed. I feel worn out and I am sweating. Vampire do not sweat." He said tiredly.

"Where have you been? Why did you just leave?" I demanded.

"I felt caged in. I went out for a run to clear my head. I should have fed before I left. It was a mistake to think myself fully recovered after one night." He answered.

I looked him over and other than sweating he looked ok, his glow was bright, and his color was good, for a vampire anyway. He sounded tired though totally different from the vampire in charge last night. I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head on his chest.

"I was so worried when I woke up, and you were gone." I said into his damp shirt.

"I'm sorry alskling." He whispered into my hair.

"Eric, I'm worried that something they did to you in the facility changed you. Somehow made you sick. Ari has people working on the hard drive I swiped from the facility during the escape. Once they hack that I should be able to see everything they did to you that I didn't have access to before. I need you to promise me that you will tell me if anything changes with you or you begin to have any other symptoms ok." I implored him worried out of my mind.

"You have my word Sookie."

We started to make our way back to the warehouse and he led me around to the side of the building our room was on.

"Where are we going Eric? There's only one entrance into the building" I pointed out.

"Not for me." He said with a smirk.

He wrapped his arms around me still smirking and slowly rose us off the ground and onto the roof of the building. I clamped my arms around him like a vice and stared at him in disbelief.

"Why aren't you obeying the laws of physics?" I asked with a slight hint of fear.

He just laughed and smiled at me.

"You have your gifts, I have mine." He answered as he released me and opened a door in the roof of the warehouse.

"Would it have killed you to warn me?" I said glaring at him.

"What's the fun of being a vampire if you can't terrorize mortals." He said laughing harder.

I shot him a scathing look and an obscene gesture.

"Ari said that same thing to me once when he scared the hell out of me, and I almost fried him with my light. You might want to be more careful."

"Saucy, I like it." He said grinning like the devil and extended a hand to help me into the building.

I took his hand and he lowered us into our room. He told me he was going to shower and get changed so the others didn't see him in any kind of weakened state. I knew this was important and I made sure that he knew I wouldn't mention his current condition to anyone but that I had mentioned it to Ari.

"We can both trust Aurelius." He said and disappeared into our bathroom.

I sat in the recliner and let my mind drift back to my time at the facility. I ran through all the meeting I could think of trying to remember anything that had been said or discussed that might give me a clue as to what was happening to Eric or any of the others if Ari found more vampires with the same symptoms as Eric. Sweating and fatigue so far, that could be so many things. I shot to my feet when I remembered my meeting with the higher ups with LODI. The evil smile on that viper's face when she was trying to tell them that they had a few new things they had been experimenting with that showed some good prospects.

"Eric I'm going to talk to Ari." I called to him.

I hustled out to the main living area in search of Ari. I found him standing over a small vampire with electric blue hair and more piercings than I'd ever seen on one person. She was dressed in black ripped jeans and a fishnet top over a bra with chains and pins in random places. She was typing away on a keyboard and I assumed this was Lizette, our in-house hacker.

"Sookie, we were just about to come and get you. Come have a look at what's on here. See if any of this makes sense to you." Ari said when he noticed me.

I walked up to the laptop and started scanning the files for dates. I had a damn good idea when the new testing started. It would have been during the time when anything higher than level three testing was banned. Nothing invasive. Viral loads, mutated strains of human or zoonotic infections, and other environmental tests.

I found 5 files that contained the testing during that week. Three were only environmental tests to sound, temperature and ultrasonic waves. Those weren't going to be it. The other two files were more likely the cause. One was a new mutated strain of hepatitis, the other a mutated strain of Malaria.

"Can you get both files on separate screens. I need to see what the symptoms and incubation periods are for both." I asked.

"You got it hun." Lizette smiled at me. "Sorry, I mean Lady Brigant."

"Please don't bother with all that just call me Susanna." I said.

Two vampires appeared with two monitors and quickly hooked them into the system. The files loaded on to each screen. I scanned through the Hepatitis V file and after about ten minutes I ruled that one out. The second file though called Malaria Plasmodium falciparum V6 as I read through it, I knew this was it. All the symptoms matched, the incubation period matched, this was it. I kept reading through the entire file and the more I read the more worried and pissed I got. This was not good.

"Lizette, I need you to check that drive for antidotes and human inoculation for p.f.v.6." I said gravely. "Find me everything with that acronym."

She hit the keyboard without question. Typing away looking for what I had asked for. Ari was looking at me expectantly. I was trying to get control of my anger and worry. I could feel my power humming under the surface.

"How many more?" I asked.

"12 so far that are reporting. We are watching for sweating in anyone else that we took from the facility. Do we need to check with the two natured as well?" He said.

"No this was made specifically for vampires. I had no two natured on my wing so nothing about the testing they did on them will be on here. You should tell the heads of the packs to ask and watch for anything off with their own. There is no telling what they have done." I answered still furious.

Eric had joined us at some point, but I was so wrapped up in my anger and trying to figure out what was going on that I hadn't even noticed until he rested a hand on my shoulder. I felt him curl his mind into mine and I relaxed fractionally. Ari started to quietly fill him in on what we had discovered so far. He confirmed a few moments later that he was certain that he'd been given this as he'd heard the techs discussing at when the bagged it into his veins.

That was it for me. I knew he was infected with it for sure and until Lizette found everything on it, I had no idea if this was curable or a death sentence. Pam approached us and made a shitty comment and my hands ignited like torches. I slammed my chair back, told her to get fucked and stormed out of the building before I did anything I'd regret.

I walked out into the driveway, aimed my hands toward the ground and sent every bit of my anger and sadness into the earth. Dirt, rocks, and grass exploded all around me. The release felt amazing and scared the hell out of me. Everything around me had exploded. I had decimated everything around me. I stared at my hands in horror and amazement. This power that lived inside me was getting stronger. I needed to talk to Eric and see just exactly what it was that I was capable of and if he knew anyone else like me. This was something I had to learn to control.

"Is it safe to approach?" Ari asked for about 20 feet away.

"Yes." I answered quietly.

He came and stood silently next to me surveying the destruction I had just unleashed.

"You are very powerful Sookie. I have not seen anyone of your kind this powerful in a very, very long time. Eric will be along to see you as soon as he finishes dealing with Pam. I filled him in on the earlier incident. You certainly showed them all what hell looks like when it wears the skin of a gentle human. You have solidified your place among us" He said.

"I think it's fairly clear that I am not all that human." I said angry.

How could no one have ever told me what lie dormant inside me. I was angry I hadn't been told, I was angry that Eric and many others were sick, I was scared at the thought of losing him. I was furious with LODI for doing this and even more angry that everyone was turning a blind eye to the atrocities being committed against super naturals.

"Look at me." He commanded. "There is nothing wrong with being what you are. Humans are ignorant and dangerous. You are making a difference for all of us, human and supernatural. You have begun the days of change. Nothing will go unpunished or ignored anymore."

I gave him a watery smile and nodded. I was back in control of myself and my power was lying quietly inside me again. Eric walked out to where we were standing and surveyed what I had done to the driveway. The light in his eyes was like fire behind ice. I felt how impressed he was as well as pride and understanding flowing into our bond. He opened his arms and I walked into his firm embrace.

"You will have no more issues with Pam, she has been dealt with." He said into my hair.

I hugged him tighter. I didn't want there to be animosity between Pam and I but I sure as hell wasn't going to take an ounce of crap from her. I had bigger problems to deal with like finding out how to heal Eric and how to control my powers.

"Lizette has the files you asked for ready for you to look at." He told me.

"Ok, lets go have a look. I need to see what we are dealing with." I told him.

He took my hand in his and lead me back to the warehouse. All the vampires and two natured who had seen my display were watching me with awe and respect and a little fear. I nodded to them as we passed. I returned to my chair that had now been set to rights and looked over the files. The three I was most interested in were human inoculation, vampire antidote, and transmission and testing protocol.

The strain was mutated to affect only vampire physiology but live inside humans as a dormant carrier. The disease would progress fairly rapidly, and after a month would become uncurable. That meant our vampires need to start a treatment protocol immediately. Human carriers could also be cured completely of the parasite if treatment was administered with in that same month time period.

The infection started presenting with sweating and fatigue, then, muscle pains and headaches, followed by periods of fevers and chills and severe anemia. If the disease hadn't been treated by this time the infection was uncurable and would be followed by seizures, coma and circulatory collapse leading to death. While vampire didn't have a typical circulatory system since they have no heart beat the blood does circulate by whatever means their animation provides for.

The treatment was Mefloquine given to a human for a period of 1 week, while taking infusions of vampire blood that was untainted to bond the medication to our blood cells and theirs. Then the vampire had to be given two infusions by any means twice a day for two weeks.

All humans who had been bitten by an infected vampire where now carriers and had to all be treated before it became a pandemic. No infected vampire could bite a human without spreading the infection so we would need plenty of IV supplies.

When I finished explaining the particulars to both Eric and Ari, they both looked pissed and worried. We were damn lucky this was still in the experimental trails and they hadn't realized that this heinous infection had indeed taken and found a way to make it terminal.

"I need you to send out everyone possible to get as much Mefloquine as possible. We will also need plenty of IV supplies as well for the transfusions of both vampires and humans. We need to test everyone from the facility for the infection symptoms or not. Lists of all humans who were bit by anyone from the facility as they will need to be treated immediately. Any humans who plan to feed vampires need to be inoculated. We don't have much time before this becomes uncurable." I said with authority.

Ari nodded to me and started calling names and barking out orders. Eric started making calls to anyone in the vicinity of other VPM pharmaceutical facilities and told them to begin treating their humans and vampires in case the other locations were doing the same trials. I continued surveying the files on the hard drive for any more nasty surprises. I didn't find anything else that seemed an imminent threat but I did get the locations of about 75 other facilities that ours had been cooperating with and gave that information to Eric so he could start trying to find contacts in any of those areas.

I sat and watched everything happening around me. Answering questions as necessary. I had done all this. Ari was right and for the first time in my life I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

"Sookie, come. You need to eat it's almost dawn." Eric said into my ear.

He was right. I was starving. I had been so wrapped up in the events of the night that I hadn't eaten a thing. He led me back to a small kitchenette and let me pick what I wanted from the fridge. I made myself a couple sandwiches and grabbed a sprite. We went back to our room after that and I dropped onto the bed and ate my dinner.

"What about you? Are you hungry?" I asked him.

"I had some bagged blood earlier after I showered." He answered.

"That is not answering my question Eric." I replied.

I tossed my plate and napkin in the trash. When I turned around the fire behind ice look was back in his eyes.

"I'm infected." Was all he said.

"So am I. We shared blood. We have a cure. Let me feed you Eric." I said.

He looked away from me and his whole body was tense. I had learned to read him so well in the time I had known him. He was struggling between what he wanted and what he thought was best. I took his hand in mine and put the other on his cheek and turned his face back to mine.

"Let me do this for you." I whispered and pulled my hair away from my neck.

He buried his hand in my hair and kissed me deeply. His other handed wrapped around my back and pulled me into him.

"You are a treasure Sookie." He said between kisses.

He picked me up and pinned me between his body and the wall. I could feel his desire pressed into my core. I didn't bother with propriety and rubbed myself against him. His kisses became deeper and more frenzied. He kissed his way down my neck and inhaled deeply at the juncture between my neck and should before he sank his fangs into me.

A guttural growl came from him as he pulled my blood into him. I sank both hands into his hair and scraped my nails over his scalp. He pushed himself harder into me and dug his fingers into my hips. I felt my blood turn to liquid fire, my senses began to sharpen and the urge to take his blood hit me like a ton of bricks. He crushed a vase on the little table in his hand and gave me his bleeding palm. I latched on and pulled his cool spicy blood into my mouth.

The world kicked off its axis harder than the first time we shared blood. I knew what we were doing. Ari had been very detailed in his vampire tutelage. We were deepening our bond. We were becoming one. I wanted it. I wanted him. Him offering told me all I needed to know about his intentions. I felt him everywhere in and on me. My powers woke up, but the light was a soft white yellow and it flowed out of my hands into him. He threw his head back and moaned. I felt a part of my light become a part of him.

Our bond was a living thing. His eyes were almost black when he looked at me.

"You are mine. I will never let you go." He said, his voice raspy.

"As you are mine and I will never let you go." I answered breathless.

He pulled my face to his and kissed me. I could taste my blood and his and it did something powerful to me. I pulled his shirt up and off and ran my hands over his body. Mapping all the muscles and scars he bore. He shredded my shirt and bra a second later. His hands and mouth were everywhere. He dropped into the recliner taking me with him. We were both writhing against each other. He gripped my ass and hip and pushed himself into me. My desire was burning me up inside and I was panting.

I clawed at the button on his pants and he torn mine right down the front. He moved us to the bed and shucked his pants and pulled what was left of mine off taking my panties with them.

"Sookie." He hissed as he sat at my entrance.

I pushed my hips towards his and he sheathed himself inside me. I ripped my nails down his back as he pumped into me powerfully. He was magnificent. He carried me higher and higher growling and speaking in a language I didn't understand. My vision started to white out and I felt a weird tingling in my gums. Iran my tongue across my teeth and was shocked to find that my canines were shockingly longer than they had been. Our eyes met and he smiled at me ferally. I was about to bite him and seal our bond when a loud crack shattered the sounds of our lovemaking.

"Don't you dare." Commanded a man I had never seen before standing next to our bed.


End file.
